Champion McIlroy shares lead with Burns

Defending champion Rory McIlroy opened with a 5-under par 67 to share the lead with Sam Burns at the 90th edition of the Masters golf championships.

The World No 2, reeled off three consecutive birdies on the back nine as he attempts to to become only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters titles.

He looks to join Jack Nicklaus (1956, 1965), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002) as players to successfully defend their title at the Masters Tournament.

McIlroy is also searching for his first win on the Tour this season. His best finish in four starts this season was tied second at the Genesis Invitational earlier this year.

Burns was the 54-hole leader at last year’s U.S. Open before a closing 78 left him sharing seventh, his best major result. His opening-round 67 marks his lowest opening-round in a major championship.

Burns, a five-time PGA Tour winner will hope to continue his remarkable start as he aims of his first majors.

An eagle at the second hole, his third career eagle at the Masters Tournament with each occurring at hole No. 2, was the highlight of his game.

Kurt Kitayama tied third on three-under joins Burns as the only two players at 2-under or better yet to win a major championship. He is tied with Jason Day and Patrick Reed. Reed became the sixth player to start birdie-eagle in the first round at the Masters Tournament; after Burns and Sam Bennett, both in 2023.

Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, eagled the second and eighth.

Four major champions sit tied sixth at 2-under – Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler.

Four-time major winner Scheffler, seeking a third Masters crown in five seasons, sank an 18-foot eagle putt on the second hole.

Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open winner who lost a Masters playoff to McIlroy last year, closed with back-to-back bogeys.

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