Rahm opens Masters defence with par

Jon Rahm shrugged off a weather-delayed start to the Masters and launched his title defence with a par on Thursday at rain-softened but sunny Augusta National where LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau shared the early lead.

Rahm, one of 13 LIV players in the year’s first major and bidding to become the fourth golfer to successfully defend his Masters crown, found the fairway with his opening tee shot and two-putted from 16 yards after his approach settled on the fringe.

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For Rahm, it was a much steadier start to the Masters than last year when he carded a four-putt double bogey at the par-four opening hole, a 445-yard dogleg right that plays uphill.