04:50 PM
From James Corrigan at Augusta
Tiger Woods is not the only player here rueing a bogey on the fifth from the middle of the fairway. The pin position is absolutely vile. Think Augusta was fearful of the course getting a mauling in these benign conditions. A few stinkers out there.
04:47 PM
Having got on the green in two at the tough fifth
Tiger three putts for another bogey – he’s not on two-over. Meanwhile, Schauffele, his playing partner, gets up and down on the same hole and stays at two-under – that was brilliant from the American.
04:44 PM
Cameron Young’s opening birdie blitz
04:43 PM
Early doors, I know…
…but here’s the top of the leaderboard
Three-under: C Young (3)
Two-under: A Meronk (10), S Garcia (8), P Reed (8), V Hovland (5), X Schauffele (5), A Scott (4), J Thomas (3).
04:41 PM
Cameron Young has proved he’s got the nerves for the majors
And the American is off to a fantastic start – the Open runner-up has birdied the first three holes. He was one of the fancied ‘outsiders’ (if you can call a a top 15 player an outsider) and it’s not hard to see why.
04:35 PM
After his horror start
Rahm has bounced back with two birdies at the second and third – big statement that. Having had the opening all us hackers can relate to – a four-putt (YIKES!) – he’s proved he’s actually on of the best out there.
04:32 PM
Tiger and Co are on the fifth
Which by my reckoning is easily one of the toughest holes, if not the toughest…Tiger is on in two while Schauffele has missed it in the one place you cannot afford to…he’ll need a cute up and down, having shortsided himself, if he’s to save par.
Elsewhere, Cantlay, who I can never get excited about misses a four-putter to go to two-under. That’s not a mistake Justin Thomas makes on the short par-four third, he’s now on two-under.
04:25 PM
So Tiger dropped a shot at the par-four third
His chip to the green at the drivable hole was short and he was ultimately unable to one-putt, having been on the dance floor in three, to fall back to one-over. He parred the par-three fourth, however, while his playing partner Schauffele birdied the par-three to join playing partner Hovland atop the leaderboard on two-under.
04:19 PM
Thanks to Ellen for getting the blog up and running
Your now lumbered with me (Greg Wilcox) for the rest of the round, I’ll be on my best behaviour…
04:08 PM
Nightmare start for Rahm
A double bogey for the world No 3 as he four putts at the first hole with the Spaniard on the green in two and remaining there for quite some time!
04:02 PM
Hovland eagles the second
Hovland, sinks his eagle putt at the second to join Poland’s Adrian Meronk in the lead at two under.
Follow the Masters leaderboard right here via our dedicated page.
03:58 PM
Kevin Na withdraws
The 39-year-old managed to get through the first nine holes before calling it a day due to illness.
03:53 PM
Woods in the bunker at the second
Wood finds the bunker off the tee but had no issue of clipping out of the sand on the par-five second from the middle of the fairway.
Viktor Hovland has got a five iron out courtesy of a sublime drive down the fairway as it lands in the middle of the green to give himself a decent chance at eagle.
03:47 PM
Thoughts on Viktor Hovland’s shirt?
03:40 PM
Par for Woods at the first
The five-time Master Champions played third on the first green, so got a read of the putts from his younger counterparts Hovland and Schauffele.
His initial putt of over 30 feet pulled up short but he tapped in nicely from inside five feet for a four.
03:34 PM
Solid start from Woods
Woods and his two playing partners Schauffele and Hovland are all safely on the green after two shots.
03:32 PM
McClean fading
McClean +1 (7)
Sadly Matthew McClean’s sublime start is tapering off as he bogeys five and double bogeying seven.
The amateur found the trees off the tee and so had to sacrifice distance with his next shot.
He then three-putted from 25 feet, as he goes back to one over for the tournament.
03:22 PM
Tiger Woods is off the tee
What a reception for the five-time Master Champion with the noise deafening at the opening tee.
Tiger Woods steps up for his tee shot and it turns into a good one. His ball safely on the fairway and his 2023 Masters campaign is underway.
03:12 PM
‘Whether I am a threat or not who knows’ – Tiger Woods
Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods is preparing for his 15.18pm (BST) tee time, as he plays alongside Viktor Holland and Xander Schauffele.
Woods finished 47th last year as he returned to competitive golf 14 months after a high-speed car crash.
Whether I am a threat or not who knows.
People probably didn’t think I was a threat in 2019 either but that turned out OK. Prior to my back fusion I didn’t know if I was ever going to play the game at any kind of level.
Our chief sports writer, Oliver Brown looks at how the former champion has had to make the uncomfortable switch from contender to nostalgia act.
Woods’ opening tee shot is just over 10 minutes away.
03:05 PM
Solid start for Sergio Garcia
Garcia E (1)
The 2017 Masters Champion begins his round at Augusta. A nicely played tee shot off the fairway is followed by a decent iron onto the green. He fails to control the speed of his birdie putt bur he manages to save par from 10 feet out.
02:54 PM
Four-man tie for the early lead
Henley -1 (3)
American, Russell Henley plays a perfect approach at the par-four third. The 33-year-old judges the putt superbly, as he begins a couple of ball widths left which sees it come back to the right and drop into the cup.
McClean has just dropped his first shot of the round on the par-four fifth. The Northern Irishman couldn’t quite manage to get onto the green in two. He pulls his wedge around 15 feet short and it’s sadly a two-putt bogey for the amateur.
02:41 PM
Who are the players to watch and what are the odds?
Daniel Zeqiri runs his eye over the latest odds and his favourites to win golf’s most coveted fashion statement.
02:27 PM
What a start for Matthew McClean
McClean -2 (4)
The Northern Irishman is off to a flyer. He pars the third and then birdies at the fourth for his second gain of the day at Augusta.
He is two under and two clear of his fellow peers – utter dreamland for the amateur!
Keep a track of the Masters live leaderboard right here.
02:18 PM
Pundits believe McIIroy is the man to beat in Augusta
Dame Laura Davies
The new driver, the new putter, the confidence – I really like Rory McIIroy’s changes this week.
Rich Beem
I have talked about Rory McIIroy all week long so I am going to stick with him. What I saw at the Match Play, the short game is going to carry him to victory this week.
02:13 PM
Former champion Sandy Lyle off the mark
The 1988 champion is wayward off the first tee, as his opening shot lands right in the trees. Then, he misses the putt for par as he starts his farewell at Augusta with a bogey five.
02:10 PM
Has Augusta ruined its famous 13th hole?
Augusta National has made some big chances it’s iconic 13th hole but is it for the better or for the worse?
The tee-box at the 13th known as Azalea has been moved back which could make the decision for players to go for the green more difficult.
Our golf correspondent, James Corrigan discusses how changes to the most fabled par-five in the world has caused some consternation in the locker room.
Read the full article here.
01:59 PM
Bogey for Vijay Singh
I clearly spoke way too soon as Vijay Singh just three-putted on the first – a ncommentator’s curse!
Whilst Northern Irishman amateur Matthew McClean has come away with a birdie on the second. He played an absolute peach of an approach with his second giving him the opportunity for an easy tap-in for birdie.
A perfect start and an early lead at the Masters.
01:43 PM
How to watch the Masters
There is exclusive live coverage on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.
Full coverage will begin at 8pm when the global broadcast window opens, but there will be coverage of featured groups and selected holes via the red button from 2pm.
Alternatively, you can follow the scores online on Telegraph Sport’s dedicated Masters liveblog.
01:42 PM
Former champions final farewell
1988 champion Sandy Lyle and 1987 winner Larry Mize are teeing off for the final time at Augusta National this week.
Solid start for Vijay Singh
While Vijay Singh, the Masters champion in 2000, is in the second group out as he plays alongside American Scott Stallings and amateur Matthew McClean.
Singh is on the fairway off the tee, with his second shot hitting back of the green. He is giving himself a decent chance at birdie here.
01:27 PM
Send us your predictions
So who’s winning the Masters? Could we have a LIV Golf winner at Augusta National?
18 members of the Saudi-backed league take to the field this week, so it can’t be ruled out.
Have your say in the comment section below.
01:24 PM
How will the weather impact the opening round?
Warm, sunny spells to begin with but increased risk of showers as Thursday progresses. Temperatures will touch 30 degrees Celsius with moderate humidity and nothing but a light breeze.
01:18 PM
The 87th Masters is underway!
There is a warm welcome and applause for the Honorary starters as they make their way towards the tee.
The six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus hits his ceremonial tee shot in Tiger red. Nicklaus is visibly limping while Tom Watson looks agile as he greets the crowds at Augusta National.
Former champion Mike Weir has the honor of hitting the first shot of the tournament, however he misses the fairway with his ball finishing in the pines.
01:09 PM
Key Thursday tee times
Five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods is out at 3.18pm (BST) and Jon Rahm goes out at 3.45pm (BST) while current champion Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIIroy at 6.48pm (BST) are among the later starters at Augusta National
Have a particular player you want to follow? The full list of tee times is available here.
12:58 PM
Right, here we go!
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage from the opening round of the 87th Masters
Golf’s first men’s major of the year is upon us, as the most famous course in sport August National plays host.
The Masters this year will be the first since a large number of PGA Tour players jumped ship and joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league.
Since the Masters, is their own entity and not part of the PGA Tour, they have taken the decision to allow anybody who joined LIV Golf to play, as long as they meet the qualification criteria.
That is in contrast to all PGA Tour events such as the Players Championship, which went ahead without it’s reigning champion Cameron Smith last month, who has joined LIV Golf.
18 members of the Saudi-backed league are set to tee off on Thursday at Augusta National, with a vast majority of press conferences touching heavily on the subject.
However, despite all the drama and debate surrounding LIV, the player everyone will be fearing is the current champion and favourite Scottie Scheffler, who enters the week in sublime form.
The current Players champion reached the final four of the WGC Matchplay two weeks ago in what was another strong start to the season.
The American was the runaway winner in Georgia last year, shooting an impressive 10-under-par, three strokes clear of Rory McIlroy who shot a 64 on Sunday but could still get nowhere near Scheffler.
One of the key talking points surrounding this year’s Masters is whether McIIroy can finally win the grand slam?
This week will be the Northern Irishman’s ninth attempt at completing the grand slam, as an elusive win at Augusta National is all he needs to complete the set, after his success in 2014 at the USPGA.
This week, he arrives ranked second in the world and with four wins on the PGA in the past 10 months, the 33-year-old has cut a relaxed yet focused figure.
“I’m feeling relaxed as I ever have coming in here just in terms of I feel like my game is in a pretty good place,” said McIlroy.
Who will win the Green Jacket? Stick with Telegraph Sport to find out.
