In the first round of his Masters career, Scottie Scheffler lost a little more than half a stroke to the field with his ball striking.

He's gained strokes in each of the 16 rounds since. +1.99 per round. Gained 3.44 today.

The lowest score by a European player in his first career Masters round is 67 by David Gilford in 1995.

Nicolai Hojgaard is -5 through 15 holes in his debut. Ludvig Åberg is -2 through 11.

Now at The Athletic - the top numbers and notes to know from an eventful day one of #TheMasters

*Bryson's brilliant day
*Rory (gently) kicks a Masters trend
*Inevitable Scottie
*A first since 1998!
*Tiger, Max, an underhyped rookie and more:
theathletic.com/5409850/2024/0…

A worrying trend for everyone in the field not named Scheffler

Scottie's strokes gained approach per round at #TheMasters

2020: -0.72
2021: +0.85
2022: +1.44
2023: +1.71
Today: +2.09

Eric Cole nearly made an ace at 16 in his first career round at #TheMasters

The last player to make a hole-in-one at 16 in his first career Masters round was Clive Clark in 1968.

Three birdies so far today for Patrick Reed

His 89 birdies-or-better at The Masters since 2019 are the most of any player.

Rory McIlroy in round 1 of #TheMasters

2019-23
73.8 scoring average
+15 on par 4s
-1.26 SG putting per round

Today
71, -1 on the par 4s
+0.80 SG putting (with round still in progress)

Entering today, Max Homa had never broken par on the first nine at Augusta National in 12 Masters rounds. He was a combined +23.

Bogey-free, 4-under making the turn today.

Rory McIlroy was 1-under today despite playing the par 5s in even par.

It snaps his personal 14-round streak at #TheMasters playing the par 5s under par.

Scottie Scheffler: 1st career bogey-free round at #TheMasters

He's the 3rd reigning world no. 1 to open a Masters with 66 or lower - Dustin Johnson shot 65 in 2020 (won) and Greg Norman shot 63 in 1996 (finished 2nd).

73 today for Jon Rahm.

6 of the last 8 defending Masters champions now have opened their week with a round over par.

26 of the last 30 winners of #TheMasters have been at/within 5 shots of the lead after round 1.

90.5% of men's major winners since 2000 have been at/within 5 after round 1.

Two reigning world no. 1's (since OWGR started in 1986) have started #TheMasters with a round of 67 or lower

2020 Dustin Johnson, 65 (Won)
1996 Greg Norman, 63 (2nd)

Scheffler is -6 through 16 holes today

Patrick Cantlay: first eagle on 17th hole in #TheMasters competition since 1998 (Davis Love III)

Matt Fitzpatrick: birdies at 11-12-13 for the first time in the same round in his Masters career

Bryson DeChambeau at #TheMasters

First 24 rounds:
3.9 bogeys/worse per round
61% greens hit
-0.48 strokes gained putting per round

Thursday:
1 bogey
83% greens hit
+3.56 strokes gained putting

Bryson DeChambeau shoots 65, tying his lowest career round in any major championship (final round of 2021 Open).

He gained more than 3.5 strokes putting in his round. He entered the day averaging -0.48 strokes gained putting in his Masters career.

In the fall 2020 Masters, Tiger birdied the 1st hole in round 1, but they used split tees that day and Woods started on 10.

That means this is the first time Tiger has started the Masters with a birdie at 1 since 1999.

Viktor Hovland gained 1.45 strokes on the field around the green on his opening nine (4-under).

A birdie at 18 would give Bryson DeChambeau the lowest opening round at The Masters since Jordan Spieth's 64 in 2015.