The other 87 participants in the 2021 Masters Tournament were probably unsure what course Justin Rose played Thursday in the first round.
Surely, it was not Augusta National.
The Englishman scorched the layout in 65 strokes to open a four-shot lead. There are 54 holes remaining, but the former World No. 1 is in terrific shape to claim his second major championship title.
The scoring was much more difficult for everyone else. Altogether, the field averaged 74.5 strokes and of the 12 players who broke par, seven have never recorded a top-10 at the Masters. They’ll have to hope Rose fades or find a way to make a charge in an unrelenting, exacting examination.
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Here are five things we observed during the opening round.