Apr 10, 2025; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Hiroshi Tai plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

2025 Masters Tournament: Georgia Tech's Hiroshi Tai Leads All Amateurs as Round One Play Winds Down

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 6:25 PM ET

Georgia Tech's Hiroshi Tai was playing in his first Masters Tournament today and he is ending round one of Professional Golf's most prestigious tournament as the leading amateur, but that is not all. Tai finished the round firmly in the hunt to make the cut for the weekend at +1 and is currently tied for 37th overall at the tournament. As of now, Justin Rose holds a three-shot lead over Corey Conners and Scottie Scheffler for the lead. The cut for the Masters is the top 50 players, plus ties. Currently, the cut would be at +2, but that is of course subject to change at any point.

Through the first seven holes of the day, Tai held par and then got his first birdie on the eighth hole to move him to -1, which is where he finished the front nine. After a par to start the back nine, Tai bogeyed for the first time all day to put him back at even for the day. After going par on the 12th hole at Amen Corner, Tai double-bogeyed the 13th to move him to +2. He then held par for four straight holes and then ended his first round at Augusta with a birdie on the 18th to move him back to +1 and that is where he is going to start going into tomorrow.

In terms of the other amateur players, Tai is in the lead in front Arizona State's Jose Luis Ballester (T74th, +4), Justin Hastings (T74th, +4), Evan Beck (T82nd, +5), and Noah Kent (T91st, +7).

Tai is going to be teeing off tomorrow morning at 8:35 a.m. ET and will be playing alongside Charl Schwartzel and Denny McCarthy.

It was a good start to the tournament for Tai in his first ever appearance at August and tomorrow, he has a chance to make it something even more special if he can find a way to make the cut and play into the weekend. Stay tuned.