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The opening round of The Masters took place Thursday, and reigning champion Rory McIlroy looked as relaxed as ever at Augusta National through his first 18 holes.
He finished the day with a 67 — five-under par — tied for the lead with Sam Burns. McIlroy carded six birdies, including three straight on holes 13 through 15 on the back nine, with his only bogey coming on the par-4 third.
After his round, McIlroy spoke with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt and appeared as composed and laid back as he’s ever been in a major championship, particularly at Augusta, a tournament he had long pursued before finally winning it in 2025.
Since capturing that elusive title, McIlroy has played with noticeable freedom, though he drew some criticism for his post-round comments about his plans for Thursday night.
“I'll probably go up there [champions locker room] right now and have a little drink, put my green jacket on, and then call it a day."
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While some viewed it as confidence, others saw it as bordering on cockiness, especially given that he won the tournament nearly a year ago.
Fan reactions were mixed, with some expressing frustration and others praising his confidence.
"How does he keep getting more unlikable," a fan said.
Someone else added, Yeah he’s gonna ride this out for as long as he can huh?"
Another wrote, "If I was roaming around Augusta I would boo him. He is now turned into the golfer that I’ve disliked more than any other in my lifetime."
"This guy is such a [expletive]." A fan shared.
"I’m glad he’s tied for the lead, it’ll be so much funnier when he falls apart now," one more commented.
Regardless of whether you love him or not, he’s become a force at Augusta dating back to the first round of last year, and he now enters Friday’s round as the new favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with a 1:44 p.m. EST tee time.
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