The first round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club has come to a close, and the leaderboard is showing some major dominance from the US players.
Early Action
The morning started off with some impressive play from Dustin Johnson, who birdied his first three holes to jump to an early lead. However, it was his fellow American Justin Thomas who stole the show early on, carding seven birdies in his first 14 holes to sit comfortably at the top of the leaderboard.
US Players Prevail
As the day wore on, the leaderboard began to show a major US presence, with names like Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, and Patrick Reed all making their way onto the first page. However, it was Phil Mickelson who surprised everyone, shooting a four-under 68 to put himself just one shot off the lead.
Despite some strong play from international players like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, it was clear that the day belonged to the Americans. In fact, of the top 10 players on the leaderboard after round one, eight were from the United States.
Sleepers and Struggles
As is always the case in a major golf tournament, there were some surprises among the leaderboard. One of the biggest sleepers of the day was Cameron Champ, who shot a six-under 66 to put himself squarely in contention. On the other side of the coin, both Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia struggled out of the gate, both shooting five-over 77s to put themselves in a deep hole heading into round two.
Looking Ahead
As the players head into the second round of the 2023 Masters Tournament, all eyes will be on the American contingent, who have already shown their dominance on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club. However, in a tournament with so much history and so many variables, it's anyone's guess who will come out on top come Sunday evening.
For now, we look forward to another day of thrilling golf from some of the best players in the world.
