Masters Tournament: Round One Jitters

The 2026 Masters Tournament officially kicked off Thursday morning, setting the scene for the majors to come. With all of the excitement came understandable nervousness by those in competition, with a chance to put themselves into history books. While the previous winner in Rory McIlroy began where he left off in 2025 with a strong first round, Scottie Scheffler also performed up to expectation after time away. One round is now in the books and the stakes only rise from here, prompting an hopeful rise in play as well. 

The Top Show Up

A field of 91 players, including the top 53 in the Official World Golf Ranking find themselves in a race for the top spot. After one round of play it seems as though Mcllroy’s title defense is strong standing so far. Pushing out six birdies on the day and finishing five-under-par 67, a strong message to the others in the field. 

“I was nervous, I was anxious just like I always am on that 1st tee,” Mcllroy said. “It’s the first round of major season, the first round of the 16 most important rounds of the year.” 

These important rounds of the year were not only understood by himself, but the World No. 1 as well. Scheffler is back in action after the birth of his second child, and already performing better than many first rounds seen in this 2026 season. In a current four way tie for sixth place, the former Masters Tournament winner shot two under par 70. 

“I feel like I played really solid,” Scheffler said. “There were a few putts I felt like I made that lipped out or stayed right on the edge. But other than that, really, really a lot of good stuff. I hit it nice. Drove it well today. Hit some good iron shots.”

Consistency is a key factor in any tournament, but this is even more in particular. It can be easy to find yourself caught up in the pressure of a major event, resulting in a quick descent down the leader board. While those top names in the sport found sweet spots in round one, others embraced the difficulty met. 

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Running Your Own Race 

This stage of competition can be found for some of the best in the game as seen in times before, a trend that seems to be continuing in 2026 play. Collin Morikawa finds himself in a deep tie for 40th place, while putting up for bogeys and only two birdies. A lackluster first round to say the least, resulting in a finish of two over par 72. 

“It all started when I woke up. I’ve never felt this nervous, like, in my life,” Morikawa said. “I’ve played in majors. I’ve played in other events. I think it’s a trust factor, right? I think when it happened out on the course at The Players, you know, there’s a certain doubt factor of, like, is this going to happen, is this not?”

With three more rounds of play left, Morikawa has a steep uphill battle if he wants to make the cut into the weekend. Earning a green jacket is an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that gets slimmer every shot.