Rory McIlroy shares the Masters lead after carding 67 in his opening spherical at Augusta, prompting Fred {Couples} to make an enormous prediction.
One-time Masters winner Fred {Couples} has urged Rory McIlroy might dominate the occasion for years (Picture: Augusta Nationwide, Augusta Nationwide by way of Getty Pictures) This text incorporates affiliate hyperlinks, we are going to obtain a fee on any gross sales we generate from it. Study extra
Golf legend Fred {Couples} says Rory McIlroy “might by no means lose” the Masters once more following a shocking opening spherical at Augusta. The Northern Irishman shares the lead with Sam Burns after posting a five-under 67 on the primary day of the match.
McIlroy, 36, lastly ended his lengthy anticipate a Inexperienced Jacket final yr after greater than a decade of close to misses in Georgia. In doing so, he accomplished the profession Grand Slam and lifted an infinite weight from his shoulders after years of falling quick. Having witnessed his show on Thursday, {Couples} urged McIlroy’s newfound composure might drive him to even larger achievements. If that’s the case, 2025 might solely mark the start of a unprecedented new chapter within the Northern Irishman’s storied profession.
Protection of The Masters will get underway on April 9 and golf followers can watch it stay with Sky’s Final TV and Sky Sports activities bundle.
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“For the actually good gamers, I feel they need it like this,” stated {Couples} after witnessing McIlroy’s first spherical at Augusta. “I do know the Jon Rahms, the Schefflers, the Spieths, the Rorys.
“By the way in which, Rory might by no means lose this factor once more after final yr. I stated that to my caddie, on I feel, the twelfth gap. Then he birdied, made a pair coming in.”
{Couples}, 66, loved a powerful begin of his personal at Augusta on Thursday. The 1992 Masters champion birdied every of the opening two holes and appeared effectively positioned to make the minimize as he sat two-under approaching the fifteenth.
It was at that time, nonetheless, {that a} nightmarish quadruple-bogey despatched him crashing down the leaderboard. Two additional double bogeys on the sixteenth and seventeenth holes go away him at six-over heading into Day 2, requiring one thing of a miracle to achieve the championship rounds.
But regardless of his dramatic collapse, the Inexperienced Jacket holder remained composed about his possibilities at Augusta. And he is aware of exactly what he should keep away from, on the very least.
{Couples}: “Rory might by no means lose this factor once more”pic.twitter.com/LYcBXD48II
— Jamie Kennedy (@jamierkennedy) April 9, 2026
“Tomorrow I simply should go do the identical factor,” he stated upon returning to the clubhouse on Thursday. “However possibly not end 10-over par on two holes or regardless of the hell I did.”
McIlroy had spoken forward of the match in regards to the strain he had felt in earlier years at Augusta. However coming again to Georgia this yr, he appeared way more relaxed by comparability.
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“I feel one of the best ways that I can describe it’s…for the previous 17 years I simply couldn’t anticipate the match to start out, and this yr I would not care if the match by no means began,” stated the world No. 2. “Yeah, it is utterly completely different. I really feel a lot extra relaxed.”
That was definitely evident in his opening-round efficiency as McIlroy produced a few of his sharpest golf. Nevertheless, this may not be the primary event he has burst out of the Augusta blocks solely to unravel additional down the road.
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