Scottie Scheffler and Justin Rose will attempt to lead the chasing pack at the Masters ahead of overnight leader Rory McIlroy resuming his bid for back-to-back crowns at Augusta National (18:44).
McIlroy took a little while to warm up on the opening day but then found his stride, making five birdies over the final 11 holes to immediately set himself up as the man to catch once again and sit at the top of the leaderboard alongside Sam Burns at five-under.
World No 1 Scheffler and last year’s runner-up Rose will both begin round two at two-under, having faded towards the end of yesterday, while the trio of Patrick Reed, Jason Day and Kurt Kitayama are the nearest challengers to McIlroy and Burns at three-under.
There were difficult days for Bryson DeChambeau, with no LIV Golf player managing to break par, as well as Robert MacIntyre, who faces a reprimand from Masters officials after raising his middle finger to the 15th hole during a nightmare round of eight-over.
Follow live updates from the first round of The Masters, below
Read MoreRobert MacIntyre faces reprimand after giving Masters the middle finger
The Masters 2026 second-round tee times and how to watch on TV
The Masters: Latest leaderboard and updates
- Defending champion Rory McIlroy takes co-lead in Masters second round
- McIlroy in second-last group to tee-off and underway at 18:44 (UK time)
- Masters leaderboard | Live on Sky Sports
- -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32)
- -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03)
The Masters 2026 - day two
17:03 , Chris WilsonA par for Scheffler on the next hole and he stays level par.
Clark has another birdie and moves back to the group on -2, while Li Haotong has done the reverse and bogeyed to move to -1.
Max Homa has also started for the day and he birdied the first hole to go to -1 alongside Rai and Tyrell Hatton, who’s had a great first eight holes that he’s three-under for!
Spieth and Koepka are also in that -1 group as they tee off on eight.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03); -2 Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (14), Li (3), Rose (7)
No LIV Golf player breaks par in round one of the Masters as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau struggle
16:57 , Chris WilsonNo LIV Golf player managed to break par in round one of the Masters as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau struggled on a bruising Thursday at Augusta National.
Sergio Garcia, who finished level par after a round of 72, was the breakaway Saudi-backed series’ best finisher after an opening 18 contested in tough conditions on firm and fast surfaces.
Rahm, the 2023 champion, and the big-hitting DeChambeau had been fancied by many to contend after encouraging form on LIV this year but could well find themselves battling to even make the cut.
No LIV player breaks par in round one of the Masters as Rahm and DeChambeau struggle
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:51 , Chris WilsonSpieth saves par on seven with a putt from around four feet. Koepka’s is even closer – it’s close but it’s in and he stays in the red.
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:50 , Chris WilsonYet another birdie chance for Rose. Sometimes it only takes one.
The putt is lined up from quite a distance – it’s holed! Back up to -2! He’s back to where he started.
A mistake from Koepka follows, as he misjudges the angle for the birdie putt.
Elsewhere, a bogey from Rai on nine sets him back to -1.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03); -2 Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (12), Koepka (6), Clark (13), Li (3), Rose (7)
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:46 , Chris WilsonSpieth has landed among the trees on seven – he digs it out but finds the front bunker.
Koepka’s approach also finds the bunker, but he could be okay.
Further back, Scheffler pulls up short on his birdie putt and it’s an awkward par putt – and he skims wide! He moves to level with back-to-back bogeys.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), -2 Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (12); Koepka (6); Clark (13), Rai (8); Li (3)
The Masters 2026 - day two tee times
16:39 , Chris WilsonHere are the notable groups teeing off in the next hour or so, as we begin to get some of the top players from day one out on the course.
Joint leader Sam Burns comes out just after 5:30pm BST, with Kurt Kitayama just under 30 minutes before:
17:03 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
17:32 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:34 , Chris WilsonRose has come close on a few holes but he’s still not landed a birdie so far today as he wraps up the sixth with a par.
Koepka gets good pace on yet another birdie attempt but it’s not got the legs and he stays on -2.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), -2 Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (12); Koepka (6); Clark (13), Rai (8)
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:30 , Chris WilsonLi Haotong has crept up to -2 after a birdie between his first two holes.
Clark has stayed on the same score after a consistent few holes, and he’s through 12 now.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), -2 Scheffler (3), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (12); Koepka (5)
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:21 , Chris WilsonAnother par for Scheffler on three, and he looks understandably disappointed.
Koepka has joined his compatriot on -2 after a third birdie of the day, and Rose does well to save a poor tee shot and make par on the fifth.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), -2 Scheffler (3), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (11)
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:14 , Chris WilsonSo, how are some of the other contenders doing?
Aaron Rai remains one-under through seven, with Gotterup on the same score through four. Ben Griffin is the final player tied in 10th, and he’s played through three.
Tyrell Hatton has moved two-under for the day through five to give himself a much better chance of making the cut, though both Sepp Straka and Ludvig Aberg are trailing behind on +1 after their first few holes of the day.
Jon Rahm is also two-under for the day through five but he probably has too much to do on +4, and in similar position - through in drastically different circumstances – is JJ Spaun, who is plus-two for the day to move to +4.
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:08 , Chris WilsonOn the second, Scheffler knives it on his third shot and it flies past the pin, though there’s a slim chance at a birdie there.
However, he didn’t like the putt from the moment he hit it, and he’ll have settle for par.
Elsewhere, Clark has dropped a shot and moved to -2.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), -2 Scheffler (1), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (10);
The Masters 2026 - day two
16:03 , Chris WilsonSpieth isn’t happy with his tee shot on four – and rightly so as it lands in the greenside bunker. Not an awful lot needed to get up and down though.
Rose follows it by setting the example, clearing the bunker and rolling within a few feet of the pin!
Definitely a birdie chance...it’s narrowly wide!
Koepka lines up a third birdie in a row but he’s not put enough on the putt!
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), -2 Scheffler (1), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Clark (10);
The Masters 2026 - day two tee times
15:57 , Chris WilsonHere are a few select tee times for the rest of Friday:
17:03 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
17:32 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)
17:56 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
18:08 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)
18:20 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)
18:44 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)
18:56 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:49 , Chris WilsonRose has a birdie putt at three...it skims the hole but nothing doing. He might well feel like he should have started with three birdies today!
Koepka does better though, with back-to-back birdies taking him to -1! A great start for the American.
Spieth hopes to follow him but it wobbles to the right. He stays on -1.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (9); -2 Scheffler (1), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20)
Dame Laura Davies: 'If you're a champion, you know you're always coming back'
15:48 , Chris WilsonDame Laura Davies is on Sky Sports speaking about the pressure of winning The Masters:
“The thing about Augusta is, if you're a champion, you know you're always coming back - look at Fred Couples this year, at 66,” she explains.
"There's the pressure of wanting that so much, for the likes of Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, the pressure of knowing what winning this tournament gives you - for the rest of your life and your family.
"It makes it such a difficult one to win, like we documented with Rory trying so many times to do it.
"That's what makes it so special here, because there's so much on the line for these guys. They've got the money, but they want that Green Jacket and an invite for the rest of their lives,” she added.
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:42 , Chris WilsonNot a lot of movement over the last couple of holes then as Wydnham Clark stays on -3 after the front nine.
Chris Gotterup has moved tied-10th after a birdie (he’s through three) and a bogey from Rai has moved him back to -1.
From Rose’s group, the Englishman and Spieth both took par on the second, while a birdie for Koepka brings him back level.
Elsewhere, Scheffler has settled for par on the first.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (9); -2 Scheffler (1), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20)
Robert MacIntyre faces reprimand after giving Masters the middle finger
15:35 , Chris WilsonRobert MacIntyre is set for a Masters reprimand after sticking his middle finger up to the 15th hole during a nightmare opening round of +8 at Augusta National.
The Scot twice found the water on the final par-5, eventually carding a quadruple-bogey nine on the hole that may prove terminal to his chances of making the cut.
Robert MacIntyre faces reprimand after giving Masters the middle finger
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:27 , Chris Wilson The Masters 2026 - day two
15:23 , Chris WilsonRight then, one of the main contenders is teeing off as Scottie Scheffler gets underway alongside Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland.
The world number one finds the fairway off the tee and his playing partners do the same.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (8); -2 Scheffler (15:19), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Rai (3)
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:15 , Chris WilsonAaron Rai has moved to -2 after another birdie on the third! Not a bad start for the Englishman.
Scottie Scheffler is among those about to tee off in the next five minutes or so.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (6); -2 Scheffler (15:19), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20), Rai (3)
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:11 , Chris WilsonA birdie for Jordan Spieth to begin day two! He moves to -1.
Not too dissimilar a putt for Rose to make par – but he misses it! He’ll move to down to -1 and that’s three dropped shots in a row if you count the final two from yesterday.
Koepka also bogeys for +1.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (6); -2 Scheffler (15:19), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20)
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:06 , Chris WilsonRose, Koepka and Speith have teed off for the day.
All three players slightly off with their tee shots but they’re all salvageable.
Three-time runner-up Justin Rose would be a popular champion!
Elsewhere, Clark settles for par on the seventh, so he stays two behind.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (6); -2 Scheffler (15:19), Rose (14:55), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20)
The Masters 2026 - day two
15:03 , Chris WilsonNot the best of days for Willett or Nicolai Hojgaard, who are both on +6 after their first few holes.
Samuel Stevens has completed the front nine, and he’s on +2 for now.
JJ Spaun and Tyrell Hatton are now underway too, with both taking pars on the first hole of the day.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (6); -2 Scheffler (15:19), Rose (14:55), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20)
Day Two hole locations
14:58 , Chris WilsonHole locations for the second round of the Masters Tournament. #themasters pic.twitter.com/6lj05EDztL
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2026
Rahm & Aberg off and running
14:53 , Chris WilsonRyder Cup winners Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg are underway on day two!
Elsewhere, Englishman Aaron Rai has moved to two-under after a birdie within his opening two holes.
Leaderboard: -5 McIlroy (18:44), Burns (17:32); -3 Reed (18:08), Day (17:56), Kitayama (17:03), Clark (6); -2 Scheffler (15:19), Rose (14:55), Lowry (17:56), Schauffele (18:20)
How can I watch The Masters 2026?
14:50 , Chris WilsonFans in the UK can watch The Masters on Sky Sports, with coverage underway from 2pm BST on Thursday. Featured Group action and updates around the course are available on Sky Sports Golf until 6pm BST, when the global broadcast window opens up. That time is brought forward at the weekend, for rounds three and four, at 5pm BST.
Sky Sports+ will have live coverage of the Featured Holes/Amen Corner from 3:45pm BST on Thursday and Friday, 5pm BST on Saturday and 4:45pm BST on Sunday.
Fans can subscribe to Sky, or use Now TV with a day or month pass. Independent Sport will also have a live blog with all the latest scores, news and reaction.
Par on six for Clark
14:43 , Chris WilsonA good birdie chance for Clark on the sixth – but his putt lips out! He looks understandably disappointed but it’s a great start to the day for the American.
He’s shown there are birdies out there this morning too!
Masters Day Two
14:40 , Chris WilsonWe’re just a few minutes from some of the big names getting underway on day two.
Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Brooks Koepka and Justin Rose will be teeing off soon – here are the respective times:
14:43 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)
14:55 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)
Clark's birdie run ends
14:35 , Chris WilsonClark’s magnificent start has stalled on the fifth as he settles for a birdie. The American is still just two shots off the lead now.
Scheffler in contention on day two
14:31 , Chris WilsonWorld number one Scottie Scheffler begins the day on -2 as he looks to become a three-time Masters winner this weekend.
The American previously won in 2022 and 2024, and could join Phil Mickelson and Gary Player as three-time winners of the prestigious major.
“There were a few putts that lipped out that I thought I had made. But other than that, a lot of really good stuff,” Scheffler said of his play on day one.
“Going out later is typically going to be harder than going out earlier. That’s just part of it, but I get to go out earlier tomorrow,” he said of his day two picture.
Another birdie for Clark!
14:24 , Chris WilsonWyndham Clark has a third birdie of the day on the fourth and he has now move tied-third!
The 2023 US Open champion is just two shots off the lead now.
Clark makes quick start
14:16 , Chris WilsonWyndham Clark has two birdies from the second and third holes to move himself to -2! He’s now three off the lead.
Elsewhere, Im has dropped a shot to go to +5, while Stevens has moved to +1 after his first six holes of the day.
Masters 2026: Weather update on day two
14:11 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s another warm, sunny day at Augusta, with low winds. How firm and fast will the greens be later on?
Weather Bulletin: Friday, April 10, 2026. #themasters pic.twitter.com/r6stTdsE8k
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2026
Lowry in contention ahead of day two
14:03 , Chris WilsonShane Lowry is just three shots off the lead as he begins day two. He’d probably be a popular winner at Augusta as he looks to add to his sole major title, which he won at The Open in 2019.
“Yeah, it was pretty good. I'm pretty happy,” Lowry told reporters after his first round.
“Obviously, I got off to a great start, and I was feeling great. Then obviously I had a mishap on the fourth, and I thought I did a great job of kicking on from there,” explained the Irishman.
"I know I bogeyed six, but I made a great par save on seven and birdied eight and nine. That kind of really got me going, and I really felt like I plotted my way around the course nicely today.”
On McIlroy’s performance, he added: "Yeah, it's great to see him up there. He's a hard one to beat. I don't know,” he said as he laughed.
McIlroy: 'I settled really quickly'
13:53 , Chris WilsonDefending champion Rory McIlroy shot five-under on a great opening day, and he had the following to say on his first round:
“I thought I would feel different, but then I put my ball on the tee and felt the same nerves. I’m glad I felt that way. Something would be wrong if I didn’t,” he explained.
“I settled really quickly. I’ve said all week there’s a certain freedom now. If I hit it in the trees? Okay! I’ve seen it all. I did that a bit on the front nine and found my game on the back. I swung freely and kept doing so even on the front nine. It’s a great start but a long way to go. I’m feeling good with where I’m at, though.
“I still have high expectations, but my expectations are more ‘Did I make good decisions today? Was I committed? Was I trusting?’ It wasn’t, ‘I’m going to go out and shoot 65 and did I do it?’
“It took me a while to focus on the process and the little mini goals of not compounding errors. If I can live up to those expectations, then the scores and the results should take care of themselves,” he added.
Masters Day Two
13:45 , Chris WilsonHere are some of the notable tee times over the next 45 minutes or so:
14:02 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman (US)
14:19 Harry Hall (Eng), Corey Conners (Can), Michael Brennan (US)
14:31 JJ Spaun (US), Maverick McNealy (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
Masters Day Two: Where are the key names?
13:36 , Chris WilsonWhile the likes of McIlroy and Rose had a great first day at Augusta National, there are a few notable names who might have already played themselves out of contention.
Sergio García, Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka are among those on level par going into day two, with Matt Fitzpatrick, JJ Spaun, Tyrell Hatton and Ludvig Åberg all scrambling as they start the second day on +2.
Further back, Viktor Hovland sits on +3 while Bryson DeChambeau is on +4. 2023 winnee Jon Rahm is essentially out of contention on +6 alongside Ryder Cup teammate Rasmus Højgaard, with Robert MacIntyre the biggest notable struggler after finishing day one at +8.
Masters Day Two
13:28 , Chris Wilson2023 Ryder Cup-winner Nicolai Hojgaard has teed off for the day, as have Zach Johnson and Michael Kim.
Meanwhile, 2026 marks 10 years since Danny Willet’s shock win at Augusta, and the 2016 winner is teeing off now as he bids to mark that anniversary with another memorable performance.
The Masters 2026 - day two
13:22 , Chris WilsonAnother par for Samuel Stevens on the second hole, so he stays on evens.
Brian Campbell has also teed off and started with a par, meaning he stays one-under and tied 10th.
And it’s pars all-round really as Wyndham Clark remains level through the first hole.
Masters stats
13:10 , Chris WilsonMcIlroy is also looking to join another slightly less exclusive list this year – that of multiple Masters winners.
18 players have won the tournament on more than one occasion, with Nicklaus leading the way with six wins between 1963 and 1986. The American also has the longest time between his first and last win, with 23 years!
Woods’ five wins came between 1997 and 2019, while Arnold Palmer is the only man with four wins – the first in 1958 and the last in 1964.
There were several players who won multiple titles in the tournament’s earlier years, with Horton Smith winning the first and third editions in 1934 and 1936.
Gary Player and Phil Mickelson are among the five men to have won the Masters three times, while Bernhard Langer and Spaniards Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal have both won twice at Augusta.
The most recent two-time winners are Bubba Watson and Scottie Scheffler, the latter of whom won as recently as 2022 and 2024.
Pars for first pairing
13:05 , Chris WilsonA par to start the day for both Stevens and Im, with the American staying on level par.
McIlroy hopes to join exclusive club
13:00 , Chris WilsonRory McIlroy could hardly have asked for a better start to the 2026 Masters as he finished day one five-under, and it’s a great start as he looks to join an exclusive club of back-to-back Masters champions.
Only three men have won successive Masters tournaments in the 90-year history of the major. Two of them are perhaps the most famous golfers in history: Jack Nicklaus won in 1965 and 1966 as two of his record six Masters titles, while Tiger Woods won in 2001 and 2002 as two of his five wins at Augusta.
And McIlroy looks to join Britain’s (other) most famous golfer as a two-time winner, after Sir Nick Faldo won in both 1989 and 1990.
Masters Day Two - first groups underway
12:51 , Chris WilsonThe first groups of the day are underway at Augusta National! Samuel Stevens and Sung-Jae Im get us started on Friday.
ICYMI: Day One highlights
12:45 , Chris WilsonHere are a few of the highlights from day one in Augusta:
Here are all of McIlroy’s birdies...
All of Rory McIlroy's birdies in his first round at The Masters! ⛳ pic.twitter.com/fg6nt3iBlS
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) April 9, 2026
And an eagle from Shane Lowry!
SHANE LOWRY EAGLE! 🚨🦅 pic.twitter.com/Q05ZELNwzn
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) April 9, 2026
Plus, a great moment from 2018 winner Patrick Reed as he became just the second player in Masters history to eagle two of his first nine holes at the tournament!
Patrick Reed becomes the second player in Masters history to eagle two of his first nine holes of the Tournament 🦅 pic.twitter.com/8k49eTpb32
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) April 9, 2026
Rose: 'I can win here'
12:32 , Chris WilsonJustin Rose was runner-up to McIlroy last year after forcing a late play-off, and he’s feeling confident after a good start on day one at Augusta National. Here’s what he had to say regarding his chances:
"I'm a little hot [after bogey- bogey finish] but I've got to look at the big picture. It was a good round of golf, and it felt like the course was playing quite challenging today.
"It was a day to be patient. I was doing a nice job of that, but then the course was getting a bit firmer towards the end of the day and I made a couple of poor mistakes.
"Small margins and I got it a little wrong on a couple of occasions. but overall a pretty good start to the tournament and I can build on it.
"The lesson [from three previous runners-up finishes] is that I can win here. There's nothing I can say I need to massively do differently.
"It's just about in the moment finding that special shot. Until then it's doing what I am doing and not forcing a win."
Masters Day Two: Selected tee times
12:25 , Chris WilsonHere are some of the notable tee times for day two, including joint leaders Burns and McIlroy as well as hopefuls including Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose:
14:02 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman (US)
14:31 JJ Spaun (US), Maverick McNealy (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
14:43 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)
14:55 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)
15:19 Scottie Scheffler (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland (US)
17:03 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
17:56 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
18:08 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)
18:20 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)
18:44 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)
Masters Day Two
12:15 , Chris WilsonHere’s the first set of tee times for today as we approach the start of day two:
12:40 Samuel Stevens (US), Sung-jae Im (Kor)
12:50 Andrew Novak (US), Tom McKibbin (NI), Brian Campbell (US)
13:02 Mike Weir (Can), Wyndham Clark (US), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*)
A couple of notable names in the first few groups, including 2023 US Open winner and 2020 Masters runner-up Sung-jae Im!
The key to conquering Augusta National – according to Scheffler, Rahm, Fleetwood and Fitzpatrick at The Masters
12:08 , Ed MalyonMatt Fitzpatrick still has the notebook he used at his first Masters tournament in 2014, in a pile of them at home. During a practice round that year, Justin Rose gave him a little piece of advice: never go flag hunting on the first hole. “Hit it centre of the green and leave yourself 20 feet every time, you’re never going to go wrong,” Fitzpatrick recalls, speaking at Augusta this week. “That’s still in my book.”
Fitzpatrick just missed the cut, aged 19, and he’s been on a journey to understand Augusta’s quirks ever since. Experience is the key that unlocks Augusta National, as a player begins to understand each green’s intricacies, each knuckle, each wrinkle, each innocent crater that carries the ball away into some impossible valley. There is a reason no debutant has won since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, nearly half a century ago.
What does it take to win The Masters? The first hurdle to overcome is the unique psychology of simply playing golf at Augusta. It has been said to feel almost sacrilegious, hitting drives down hallowed fairways like crashing drums in an ancient cathedral. Strict rules and stiff traditions all add to the tension. Robert MacIntyre said he is still “on edge” walking around the grounds, telling The Guardian: “You walk across certain bits of grass and think: ‘Am I allowed to do this?!’”
How to tame Augusta – according to Scheffler, Rahm, Fleetwood and Fitzpatrick
Masters Leaderboard
12:00 , Chris Wilson1 - Sam Burn -5
1 - Rory McIlroy -5
3 - Kurt Kitayama - 3
3 - Jason Day -3
3 - Patrick Reed -3
6 - Justin Rose -2
6 - Scottie Scheffler -2
6 - Shane Lowry -2
6 - Xander Schauffele -2
Inside the magic of the Masters – and why Augusta is always the main character
11:50 , Chris WilsonThe first thing that strikes you about Augusta National, as is probably to be expected from all the still and video images you’ve seen over the years, is the sheer greenness.
Every shade of green; the nuances provided by the dappled light of early April here on the border between Georgia and South Carolina. There are emerald, celadon, jade and seafoam greens, mint and sage if the sun catches the slope right, a verdant equivalent of the diamond-like shimmer found on the ocean waves.
And with every perfectly groomed curve, every neatly-coiffured undulation you proceed to the next level of understanding Augusta. The attention to detail. The perfection of it all.
Inside the magic of the Masters – and why Augusta is always the main character
The Masters 2026: Day 1 in pics
11:43 , Chris Wilson No LIV Golf player breaks par in round one of the Masters as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau struggle
11:36 , Chris WilsonNo LIV Golf player managed to break par in round one of the Masters as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau struggled on a bruising Thursday at Augusta National.
Sergio Garcia, who finished level par after a round of 72, was the breakaway Saudi-backed series’ best finisher after an opening 18 contested in tough conditions on firm and fast surfaces.
Rahm, the 2023 champion, and the big-hitting DeChambeau had been fancied by many to contend after encouraging form on LIV this year but could well find themselves battling to even make the cut.
No LIV player breaks par in round one of the Masters as Rahm and DeChambeau struggle
How can I watch The Masters 2026?
11:29 , Chris WilsonFans in the UK can watch The Masters on Sky Sports, with coverage underway from 2pm BST on Thursday. Featured Group action and updates around the course are available on Sky Sports Golf until 6pm BST, when the global broadcast window opens up. That time is brought forward at the weekend, for rounds three and four, at 5pm BST.
Sky Sports+ will have live coverage of the Featured Holes/Amen Corner from 3:45pm BST on Thursday and Friday, 5pm BST on Saturday and 4:45pm BST on Sunday.
Fans can subscribe to Sky, or use Now TV with a day or month pass. Independent Sport will also have a live blog with all the latest scores, news and reaction.
Robert MacIntyre faces reprimand after giving Masters the middle finger
11:22 , Chris WilsonRobert MacIntyre is set for a Masters reprimand after sticking his middle finger up to the 15th hole during a nightmare opening round of +8 at Augusta National.
The Scot twice found the water on the final par-5, eventually carding a quadruple-bogey nine on the hole that may prove terminal to his chances of making the cut.
The 29-year-old raised his middle finger after his first approach to the green landed in the drink, and was also seen slamming his clubs into the fairway in frustration earlier in his round.
Robert MacIntyre faces reprimand after giving Masters the middle finger
Masters tee times
11:15 , Chris WilsonRound two: Friday, 10 April
Here’s the full list of tee times for day two at Augusta National...
12:40 Samuel Stevens (US), Sung-jae Im (Kor)
12:50 Andrew Novak (US), Tom McKibbin (NI), Brian Campbell (US)
13:02 Mike Weir (Can), Wyndham Clark (US), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*)
13:14 Zach Johnson (US), Michael Kim (US), Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)
13:26 Danny Willett (Eng), Davis Riley (US), Ethan Fang (US*)
13:38 Adam Scott (Aus), Daniel Berger (US), Brian Harman (US)
13:50 Fred Couples (US), Min Woo Lee (Aus), Fifa Laopakdee (Tha*)
14:02 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman (US)
14:19 Harry Hall (Eng), Corey Conners (Can), Michael Brennan (US)
14:31 JJ Spaun (US), Maverick McNealy (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
:43 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)
14:55 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)
15:07 Sepp Straka (Aut), Ben Griffin (US), Justin Thomas (US)
15:19 Scottie Scheffler (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland (US)
15:31 Harris English (US), Marco Penge (Eng), Si Woo Kim (Kor)
15:51 John Keefer (US), Haotong Li (Chn)
16:03 Naoyuki Kataoka (Jpn), Max Homa (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex)
16:15 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)
16:27 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Sami Valimaki (Fin), Jackson Herrington (US*)
16:39 Charl Schwartzel (SA), Max Greyserman (US), Ryan Fox (NZ)
16:51 Vijay Singh (Fij), Matt McCarty (US), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)
17:03 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)
17:15 Bubba Watson (US), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Brandon Holtz (US*)
17:32 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)
17:44 Keegan Bradley (US), Ryan Gerard (US), Nick Taylor (Can)
17:56 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
18:08 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)
18:20 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)
18:32 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa (US), Russell Henley (US)
18:44 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)
18:56 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)
The Masters 2026 - day two
11:07 , Chris WilsonThe Masters is underway with defending champion Rory McIlroy in the box seat heading into day two after a superb opening round of 67, to hold the joint lead alongside Sam Burns at five-under.
McIlroy took a little while to warm up on the opening day but hit his straps in the second half of his round, making five birdies over the final 11 holes to immediately set himself up as the man to catch once again.
American Ryder Cup player Burns also impressed early in the day to notch his best-ever round at The Masters, is tied with the Northern Irishman, while last year’s runner-up Justin Rose had to endure bogeys on each of the last two holes to fall three shots behind at two-under.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler flew out of the blocks on Thursday before fading as the round went on but is also at two-under, while players lower down the leaderboard will try to do enough to at least make the cut this evening and play two more rounds over the weekend.
Familiarity breeds success for surging Rory McIlroy on Masters opening day
11:02 , Ed MalyonFirst up, the report from day one at Augusta...
So much of the charm and success of The Masters is based around the consistency and familiarity of the tournament.
You turn on the television and you see those familiar vibrant green shades, the shimmering water on 12, the pinks and the creams of the blooming foliage. The course is the same every year, the traditions are the same every year, and you can throw tariffs, trade wars and the Strait of Hormuz at Augusta but sandwich prices will still be the same every year.
But as far as continuity goes, having last year’s winner, Rory McIlroy, tied for the lead after the first round of this year’s tournament at -5 might be a little bit much.
Familiarity breeds success for surging Rory McIlroy on Masters opening day
Good morning
11:01 , Chris WilsonHello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of day two of The Masters.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy had a great day on Thursday in Augusta, moving into a joint lead alongside Sam Burns on five-under, with Kurt Kitayama, Jason Day and 2018 winner Patrick Reed slightly behind on -3.
However, it can all change so quickly at Augusta National. Only 16 players in the 91-man field finished under par on Thursday, and while the likes of Justin Rose (-2), Scottie Scheffler (-2), Shane Lowry (-2) and Tommy Fleetwood (-1) would all expect to be in the fight as they tee off on Friday, it’ll be the calm heads that will prevail as we begin to get a picture of the main contenders over the weekend.
And we’ll have all the latest build-up right here ahead of the first tee times, as well as regular updates on who’s doing what on day two of the 90th Masters.
