AUGUSTA, Ga. — The 2026 Masters began with a field of 91 competitors, featuring 10 players from LIV Golf, including five former champions. However, the first day proved challenging for this group, as many struggled to find their rhythm at Augusta National Golf Club.
Among the participants, Sergio Garcia was the standout, finishing the day with an even-par 72. Meanwhile, fellow LIV golfers Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau each recorded less favorable scores of 1-over 73 and 4-over 74, respectively.
Despite the promising landscape of Augusta, several players faced difficulties. Tyrrell Hatton and Cameron Smith both closed with a 2-over 74, while Charl Schwartzel and Tom McKibbin were slightly off their game at 3-over 75.
Bubba Watson struggled with a 4-over 76, and Jon Rahm found himself at 6-over 78. Carlos Ortiz rounded out the scores for LIV players with an 8-over 80. Notably, no LIV golfer managed to come in under par during the first round.
"Oh, major season. I think for me, it's going to be about seeing my shot shapes, visuals off the tee," said DeChambeau. He noted his plan to focus on starting his shots on target and highlighted his confidence in his putting game, which he felt was performing well despite the overall results.
As conditions at Augusta began to shift, others attempted to capitalize. Xander Schauffele commented on the approach required at the Masters, stating, "Yeah, I mean, it's always easy to be aggressive from the fairway here. There's quite a few wedges if you're able to hit it in some sort of tight spots, which we were able to do today. Might as well take advantage of the greens being just a hair softer. But I think they're slowly firming up."
With the competition fierce and the challenges of Augusta evident, the LIV players will need to regroup as they head into the subsequent rounds. Overall, the first round did not meet the expectations for a group with significant talent and notable previous successes.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will remain on how these players adjust and seek to improve their standings in this prestigious event.