Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Is there anything we can say about Rory McIlroy that you don't already know?

Maybe his prediction for how this week will pan out? While playing Wednesday's Par 3 Contest he said if the warm, dry conditions stay the same "double digits under par would be amazing, I don't think it's going to be a low-scoring Masters".

The defending champion is playing with the Players Championship winner Cameron Young, who is all or nothing at Augusta - two missed cuts bookend two top-10 finishes for the American.

Amateur Mason Howell is the youngest player at Augusta this week. The 18-year-old became the third-youngest winner of the US Amateur last year to earn his spot in the Masters.

When he was nine, he was tossed a ball by McIlroy during the Tour Championship. He still has it in his bag and he joked about using it this week.

“I’m not,” he said, laughing. “But that would be a power move.”

Image source, Reuters

Let's catch up with a few of the early movers.

Max Greyserman - who finished tied 32nd on his Masters debut last year - birdies the short par-four third to get into the red.

Amateur Jackson Herrington - last year's US Amateur runner-up - didn't birdie the third. He did, however, pick up shots on the second and fourth after opening with a bogey and also trails early pacesetter Jose Maria Olazabal.

Right then, here's what we've got coming up....

• 14:43 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)
• 14:55 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)
• 15:07 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)
• 15:19 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa (US), Russell Henley (US)
• 15:31 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)
• 15:43 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)
• 17:56 JJ Spaun (US), Maverick McNealy (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
• 18:08 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)
• 18:20 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)
• 18:32 Sepp Straka (Aut), Ben Griffin (US), Justin Thomas (US)
• 18:44 Scottie Scheffler (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland (US)

Stephen Watson
BBC Sport NI at Augusta National

Let's get to the serious stuff...

After many years coming to the Masters, I finally got my hands on one of the most highly prized items on sale in the shop - the Augusta National gnome.

And as you can see, it's not the only gnome-related gift that is available here!

Image source, EPA

Yes, folks, golf is hard! Golf at Augusta can be a nightmare for anyone at any time, just ask Carlos Ortiz who cards a second double bogey of the day to sit on seven over after six holes.

Could be worse though Carlos, I took 20 shots for the first two holes of my recent first round of the year - a left-to-right wind and OB down the right was always going to be a recipe for disaster.

Mind you I can't see there being too many holes at Augusta like my second that was halved in 12s, during which my playing partner hit me on the foot with an errant bunker shot, I'm sure that's loss of hole in matchplay...

Image source, EPA

OK, it's now a genuine outright lead at The Masters for Jose Maria Olazabal, as the 60-year-old drains a brilliant long-range snaking curler from just off the front of the third green for a birdie.

That's the kind of putt you can only make thanks to the experience and course knowledge that comes with 36 Masters appearances and having two Green Jackets on your back.

Vamos!

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport golf reporter

Image source, Getty Images

While the list of potential champions feels larger than usual, the profile of the Masters winner is often similar - pedigree, persistence and precision.

Scottie Scheffler: The ultra-consistent world number one again arrives at Augusta as the man to beat - despite falling below his lofty standards recently. Having a new baby can sometimes work in a golfer's favour so watch out for the 'Nappy Factor'.

Rory McIlroy: A player of his talent can never be discounted as he attempts to become only the fourth man to win back-to-back Masters.

Bryson DeChambeau: LIV Golf might have its detractors but his place among the favourites - given his ability and recent form on the breakaway circuit – cannot be questioned. He's won the last two LIV events back-to-back.

Jon Rahm: The 2023 champion perennially challenges at the majors and goes for a third major title buoyed by leading the LIV standings this year after picking up a first individual title since 2024.

Matt Fitzpatrick: Comes into the tournament full of confidence after his recent runners-up finish at the Players Championship followed by winning the Valspar.

Robert MacIntyre: Hitting form at the right time having finished fourth at the Players and joint second in Texas last week.

Ludvig Aberg: Clearly enjoys the test after earning the runner-up spot on his debut in 2024 and a seventh-place finish last year.

Cameron Young: Just won The Players three weeks ago, just as Rory McIlroy did last year, and he has two top 10s here in four starts.

Xander Schauffele: You may have forgotten but he won two majors in 2024 and he always seems to go well at Augusta with five top 10s in his last seven appearances.

As you can see below, recent defending Masters champions haven't performed too well - mainly due to all the extra duties they have during the week.

Rory McIlroy is looking to become just the fourth player to successfully defend The Masters, which tells you just how tough it is to do.

Anyone know the three back-to-back winners? Use the feedback form and we'll celebrate your knowledge by posting the quickest responses. No googling though!

Image source, Getty Images

OK, I know, but it's still fun to say it though.

Jose Maria Olazabal won here in 1994 and 1999 and has birdied the second to top the leaderboard, alongside fellow Masters champion Angel Cabrera who has followed him in the group behind.

Whatever Rory McIlroy fed them at the Champions Dinner obviously did the trick.

A 60-year-old and 56-year-old tied at the top of the Masters leaderboard - glorious!

How's your Masters knowledge? Do you think you can name every European winner of the Green Jacket?

Prove it by taking our quiz.

I'll give you a one for free to start you off, one of them is Rory McIlroy...

Image source, EPA

Naoyuki Kataoka makes the first birdie of the 2026 Masters by rolling in a 12 footer for a four on the par-five second hole.

The Japanese debutant won the Japan Open last October to secure his Masters invite and he's made a bright start playing alongside Max Homa and Carlos Ortiz.

Ortiz has started bogey-double-bogey so that's hardly ideal for the Mexican.

Rory McIlroy won The Players Championship last year before doubling up at The Masters, can Cameron Young do it again?

He's got two top 10s in four Masters appearances and has come close in the majors before - notably finishing second at the 2022 Open Championship and third at the US PGA that same year.

With a big win now under his belt he can really attack Augusta this year - and he is some player on the front foot.

Image source, EPA

...And it won't be the last!

Poor Aldrich Potgieter plays a classic bit of army golf on the first hole as he goes right, left, right and makes a big mess of his second Masters start.

He's in the trees on the right off the tee, then thins a chip from off the left of the green that races across the putting surface like a stabbed rat and flies into the patrons.

A chip and two putts later and that's a six for the South Arican, who was voted the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year last year.

He's playing with two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and talented Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who won the Australian Open to punch his ticket to Augusta.

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent at Augusta National

Witnessing McIlroy here over the weekend, looking very comfortable and enjoying wearing the Green Jacket, and listening to how he spoke in the press conferences, I think he has enjoyed himself.

I get the feeling the burden has been lifted, as he said it would be, and now he needs to get himself ready to compete.

He wants to chase history, he wants to climb the ladder of major winners, he wants to become the most prolific winner of the European order of merit. It’s all about where he sits in the pantheon.

Due to their own personal issues this will be the first Masters to be played without Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson in the field since 1994.

Woods has his well-publicised problems following his latest DUI charge and he's stepped away from golf for treatment.

Mickelson has only played once this season on LIV due to a personal family health problem that has also seen him take an extended break from golf.

With eight Green Jackets between them and as two of the biggest names ever in golf they'll be sorely missed this week.

Taking a look at the stats it's clear to see where you have to make your scores at Augusta National, with the par-5s the only four holes on the golf course that have played under par during the tournament's statistical history.

And there's seven holes on the course, the 1st, 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 18th that have never played under par for a single tournament, not even during record low-scoring years.

Stephen Watson
BBC Sport NI at Augusta National

One of the world's most famous sporting events, the Masters is unique is so many ways.

I spent a bit of time wandering around the grounds here at Augusta National - and here's a few of the rules and regulations the 'patrons' have to abide by.

Keep your comments coming in using the Get Involved feedback form.

Image source, Reuters

The 2026 Masters has teed off!

Johnny Keefer and Li Haitong are in the opening pairing, playing as a two as there's 91 in the field and even my maths tells me you can't divide that by three.

Keefer is an interesting story as he booked his Masters invite by finishing the year in the world's top 50 despite not being a star on the PGA Tour, with his wins and best performances coming on the second tier Korn Ferry Tour.

But don't get us started on the world ranking saga...

Here's where those Augusta National flags are placed for today's first round.

Image source, The Masters