Rose blooms, leads Masters

MANILA, Philippines — Justin Rose fired a scorching seven-under-par 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Masters, three strokes clear of a trio led by defending champion Scottie Scheffler.

Rose flirted with the Augusta National course record of 63, clenching his fist in celebration after draining a 19-foot birdie putt at the 16th to reach eight-under.

Wayward drives left him in the trees at 17 and 18 and after salvaging one par, Rose closed with his first bogey of the day but still emerged as the first-round Masters leader for a fifth time.

Rose, who has never managed to parlay the first-round lead into a green jacket, was three strokes clear of world No. 1 Scheffler, last year’s runner-up Ludvig Aberg and Canadian Corey Conners.

Rory McIlroy was four-under through 14 holes, but two double bogeys in the space of three holes saw the Northern Ireland star finish on even par 72 in his latest bid for a Masters title that would complete his career Grand Slam.

Rose leapt out of the gate with birdies at the first three holes.

“Everything was going exactly where I was looking,” Rose said, adding that his 25-foot birdie at the first was “exactly what you need to settle yourself into the Masters.”

He then grabbed three more birdies at the eighth, ninth and 10th.