Jon Rahm battled back from an opening double bogey to sign for a seven-under-par 65 and share the lead after the first round of the 87th Masters Tournament.
The Spaniard, who along with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy was among the pre-tournament favourites, responded to four-putting the first with an eagle and seven birdies over the next 17 holes as he equalled his lowest round at Augusta National.
Norway's Viktor Hovland managed to keep the bogeys off his card in a stunning 65 which contained an eagle and five birdies, with Brooks Koepka making it a three-way tie at the summit.
Jason Day and Cameron Young were in a share of fourth place on five under, one ahead of the group featuring Ireland's Shane Lowry, American amateur Sam Bennett, defending champion Scheffler, former winner Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Gary Woodland and Sam Burns.
World Number Three Rahm recovered from the disappointment of dropping two shots at the very first hole by making back-to-back birdies on the second and third to repair the damage.
After getting into the red numbers for the first time with a 12-foot birdie effort from off the seventh green, Rahm curled his approach at the eighth to four feet before tapping in the eagle putt.
The 28-year-old then closed his round with four birdies in the last six holes to grab a share of the lead.
On his recovery from the early double bogey, Rahm said: "If you're going to make a double or four-putt or anything, it might as well be the first hole, 71 holes to make it up.
"After that, it was more I was focused on the fact that all the strokes were good, the reads were good, the roll was good.
Jon Rahm four-putted the 1st. Still shoots 65 to co-lead The Masters 🤯#themasters pic.twitter.com/k7tZkwqjGC
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) April 6, 2023
"Obviously the speed was off on the first two putts, so once I kind of accepted that there was nothing really to look into, I just got to work and I had 17 holes to make up.
"I've always said, and I tell people who ask me about The Masters, if you can somehow make it through the first six-and-a-half holes - and what I mean is putting the ball in the fairway on the seventh and you're around level par - I think it's a pretty good start.
"It's easy to make bogeys. It's not easy to make birdies. So if you can get through that, you have a short iron into seven, eight, nine to maybe make some birdies and maybe get the round going.
"I was able to do that and took advantage of it the rest of the day."
Hovland kick-started his first round with an eagle from 25 feet at the second before making ten-foot birdies on the sixth and eighth to get to four under.
Eagle on No. 2 propels Viktor Hovland into a tie for the lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/1UDqVvJPsU
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023
He then sent a wonderful iron shot to three feet at the ninth and holed his short birdie putt to turn in 31.
After getting up and down from a tricky spot on the bank just above the bunker for a valuable par on the tenth, Hovland drained his 37-foot birdie putt at the 11th, receiving rapturous applause from the bumper crowds following him and playing partners Tiger Woods and Schauffele.
Hovland, whose outfit has been compared to Augusta's famous azaleas, birdied the 13th from close range to get to seven under before staying there courtesy of good par saves at the 14th and 18th.
He said: "It was very fun today. I got off to a nice start, obviously making eagle on the second.
"And I just kept hitting great shots on the front nine and made some putts, and before I knew it, somehow I was six under through 11, and just kind of coast in to 65. So that was awesome."
Speaking about playing with five-time Masters Champion Woods, Hovland added: "Obviously it's really cool to just be around him.
"He's been such a huge influence to the game of golf, and I watched him growing up.
"And to get to play with him for the first time today was very special, and especially to play this round as well."
Four-time Major Champion Koepka made eight birdies on day one, with his only blemish coming on the 13th.
He said: "I got off to a good start. Any time you're two under through three, it's a good start. So felt good. I kind of just piggybacked off that momentum and I'm very happy with the way I played."
Honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson officially got the tournament under way in traditional fashion on Thursday morning, hitting tee-shots on the opening hole before retiring to the clubhouse.
