The Masters 2025 LIVE: Leaderboard, latest scores and updates from Augusta

Ohhhh hello Scottie Scheffler! Such confidence from the World No 1 and he takes a shot away from the par-5 eighth to move to -3. Scheffler made an excellent up and down from little hollow by the green, but tucks away his birdie putt from 12 feet or so, just dropping in.

Leaderboard: (-4) Stephan Jaeger (-3) Scottie Scheffler (-2) Aaron Rai, Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton, Brian Campbell, Matt McCarty

The wicked ways of the early Masters’ TV coverage means I’ve barely seen a glimpse of our current leader, Stephan Jaeger, until a long birdie putt on 10 that stops short. Joaquin Niemann, who is currently leading the LIV Golf contingent at Augusta, has made it to the turn at -2.

Now, we’re not too far away from the late starters, and there are some big names about to take to the course.

1750: Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley, Sungjae Im

1801: Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland

1812: Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Akshay Bhatia

1823: Hideki Matsuyama, Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry

1834: Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood

Aaron Rai finds the front bunker on the iconic par-3 12th, which is at least safe and clear of Raes Creek. The shortest hole on the course is often the most dangerous and Rai makes his second bogey in a row, with the Englishman unable to get close to the hole from the sand and two-putting.

Elsewhere, we have a couple of fast starts with Brian Campbell and Matt McCarty -2 through two. McCarty is making his Masters debut so a birdie-birdie start is the stuff of dreams.

Leaderboard: (-4) Stephan Jaeger (-2) Aaron Rai, Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton

Not the start Aaron Rai wanted as he heads into Amen Corner. He looked to be in a decent position on 11, finding the fairway with his drive and the laying up to the right of the green. But he can’t get up and down from there and drops back to -3, leaving Stephan Jaeger out on his own.

Leaderboard: (-4) Stephan Jaeger (-3) Aaron Rai (-2) Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton

Tyrrell Hatton found a peach of a tee shot on the par-3 sixth, catching the top of the bank and rolling it down towards the pin. The putt looked straight, but just Hatton was looking for a break and it just didn’t swing! He scratches his head and comes away with a par.

Scheffler makes a comfortable (for him) up and down from the bunker on seven.

Leaderboard: (-4) Aaron Rai, Stephan Jaeger; (-2) Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton

Our leader Aaron Rai is preparing to head into Amen Corner and passes an early test with an excellent drive from the daunting tee shot from the hill at 11. He’s been joined on -4 by Stephan Jaeger, who finds a birdie to close out in the front nine in 32. Will Zalatoris has been there or thereabouts at Augusta over the past few years and the American gets back to -1.

Leaderboard: (-4) Aaron Rai, Stephan Jaeger; (-2) Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton

Oh no… Robert MacIntyre was looking to build a -1 start through six until a nightmare three-putt on the seventh. MacIntyre missed his par putt from five or six feet, then missed the bogey putt from an even closer range. A double bogey it is and he goes from red to black figures. Scheffler is not too far away from another ridiculous birdie putt at the sixth, but it just rolls past.

Leaderboard: (-4) Aaron Rai; (-3) Stephan Jaeger; (-2) Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton

Rory McIlroy has been handed a boost after six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus validated the Northern Irishman’s strategy to play Augusta National this week.

McIlroy, searching for a fifth major and a first green jacket to complete the grand slam this week, enters the first major of the year in men’s golf high on confidence after victory at the Players Championship last month.

The 35-year-old has focused on his mental game and even discussed in detail with the 18-time major champion how he will play the course this week.

“I said ‘I know you prepared for Augusta, tell me how you’re going to play the golf course’. And when he got done, I didn’t open my mouth,” Nicklaus said after revealing in the Honorary Starters’ press conference how he asked McIlroy for a “shot for shot” plan.

“I said I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s exactly the way I would try to play the golf course.”

That monster birdie putt from Scottie Scheffler went rattling into the hole from 60ft. Can you be on the move less than two hours into the first day of the Masters? Well, if anyone can it’s the World No 1 and defending champion. He follows it with a par at the fifth.

Leaderboard: (-4) Aaron Rai; (-3) Stephan Jaeger; (-2) Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Tyrrell Hatton

Oh hello Scottie Scheffler! On the par-three 4th, he’s got a birdie putt from downtown Augusta, races it towards the hole and it finds the bottom of the cup.

That was probably 60 feet and if it wasn’t right on line, it was 10 feet by but it rattles home. The world No 1 is suddenly at two-under. Ominous…

Behind him on the course, Jordan Spieth and Tyrrell Hatton appear to be spurring each other on as they both birdie the 2nd to follow their shots gained at the 1st. They’re also at -2 now.

Leaderboard: (-4) Aaron Rai; (-3) Stephan Jaeger; (-2) Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Tyrrell Hatton