By Frank Pingue
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) -Norway’s Viktor Hovland fired his lowest score in a major to grab the Masters clubhouse lead on Thursday while Tiger Woods mostly struggled and tournament favourites Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy went out with the late starters.
Hovland, who stood out from the field as much for his play as the bold floral pattern on his shirt, fired a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 in ideal conditions at Augusta National.
That left the Norwegian world number nine, who has never finished inside the top-20 in three Masters starts, three shots clear of former British Open winner Shane Lowry and world number seven Xander Schauffele.
A number of players still on the course were within striking distance, including world number three Jon Rahm, who was six under with one hole to play and 2012 Masters champion Adam Scott, five under through 17.
Hovland made his move early as he rolled in a 25-foot eagle putt at the par-five second and added three birdies across a four-hole span from the sixth to reach the turn at five under.
Playing in a group with Woods and Schauffele, Hovland made a sensational par save at the 10th after an errant approach left him with a tough chip without much green to work with and then padded his lead with a 37-foot birdie at the 11th.
Hovland picked up another birdie at the new-look par-five 13th, and then capped his day with a string of pars for his first sub-70 round at Augusta National.
Woods, who has never missed a Masters cut as a professional, came to Augusta National having played one event this year and the rust showed for most of the round as he rarely gave himself any opportunities.
The five-time champion made a late move as he rolled in a curling 27-foot birdie at the par-five 15th followed by another from at the par-three 16th but closed with a bogey after an unfortunate break off the tee that left him with an awkward stance with his right foot in a bunker.
Rahm had a shaky start as he four-putted the first hole for a double-bogey but recovered quickly and responded with two consecutive birdies to get back to even par.
The Spaniard then charged up the leaderboard when he followed a birdie at the seventh with an eagle at the eighth where he stuffed his approach shot to four feet before a trio of back-nine birdies.
Scheffler, bidding to become the fourth player to repeat as Masters champion, was two through five holes while McIlroy, who needs a win this week complete the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors, was even par through five.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Ken Ferris and Pritha Sarkar)
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Source: The Print
