AUGUSTA, Ga. — After a long, often chaotic first part of the week, the 86th Masters gets underway today with as much anticipation as one can remember a major championship carrying. Much of that obviously revolves around Tiger Woods teeing it up for the first time since his horrific car accident in February 2021, and he’s taken almost all of the oxygen out of August National for the last three days. However, there are plenty of other storylines that will begin to unfold starting Thursday morning.
Chief among those is Rory McIlroy’s bid for his first Masters and the elusive career grand slam. Asked about this Wednesday, his answer was tremendous:”I love Augusta National. I love the Masters. I’ve had wonderful times here and not so wonderful times. But I keep coming back every year, and I’ll keep coming back as long as they’ll let me.” That’s how many people feel about the Masters, and it’s likely that one more name — perhaps Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas or McIlroy himself — will this year be added to the list of folks who will be able to keep coming back forever.
Watch the 2022 Masters streaming now with Masters Live as we follow the best golfers in the world throughout Augusta National with Featured Groups, check in at the famed Amen Corner and see leaders round the turn on Holes 15 & 16. Watch live for free on desktop and mobile via CBSSports.com and CBS Sports App. Also available on Paramount+.
CBS Sports will update this story with scores and highlights from the Masters below. Check out the live scores at the top of this story, a more detailed leaderboard, Round 1 tee times and our complete Masters TV schedule / coverage guide.
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Surprising big numbers in Round 1
Not every star can go low to open Masters week, but considering the form Justin Thomas brought with him to Augusta National this week, his 4-over 76 in Round 1 is among the more surprising scores from Thursday. Here are a few others (so far):
- Bryson DeChambeau (+4)
- Justin Thomas (+4)
- Louis Oosthuizen (+4)
- Matthew Wolff (+9)
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Cameron Smith leads despite wild start (and finish)
Australian Cameron Smith finished Round 1 with a 4-under 68 on Thursday to take a lead into the clubhouse despite a wild start — and finish — to his week at Augusta National. After opening his round with a double bogey, he finished it with a double bogey and played the remaining 16 holes at 8 under. He becomes just the second player on record to record multiple double bogeys in a round and still shoot 68 or better at the Masters, according to the PGA Tour, joining Rickie Fowler, who did so in Round 1 in 2013.
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Tiger Woods bookends Round 1 with par saves
Tiger Woods opened his day on hole No. 1 with an amazing par save in which he drained a 10-foot birdie putt. He ended it on No. 18 with a putt from the same distance to again save par, as he turned in an opening-round 71 (1 under par) on Thursday, part of an epic comeback in which he went 509 days between competition after suffering severe injuries last year stemming from a car crash.
Woods climbed to as high as T2 on the leaderboard in Round 1 before settling at T9 at the time his round finished. At 1 under, he is three off the lead of Cameron Smith.
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Cameron Smith tearing up Round 1
After an opening-hole double-bogey, Cameron Smith is absolutely obliterating the course right now as he makes his way to the finish line of Round 1. Eight birdies already today including three straight at 14, 15 and 16 as he moves to 6 under and two clear of everyone else at the top of the leaderboard.
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