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Bryson DeChambeau leads the Masters Tournament 2024 after the first round, with a score of 7 under. DeChambeau carded the best round of his career at Augusta National and drew the admiration of many, including Phil Mickelson.
Mickelson is also at Augusta National playing the Masters as a former champion. Like the rest of the golf world, "Lefty" witnessed Bryson DeChambeau's exceptional performance and was full of praise for his LIV Golf colleague.
At the end of the round, Phil Mickelson spoke with Mike McAllister, a journalist who covers LIV Golf, and had this to say about Bryson DeChambeau:
"He [Bryson DeChambeau] has found a way to play golf that's different and unique from anybody I've ever seen play it. He believes and knows that it gives him opportunities and advantages, and he's got the commitment and the self-assurance to not care what anybody else says but to go down this path that he knows is right for him. I think a lot of him and have a lot of respect for him."
DeChambeau and Mickelson are two of the 13 LIV Golf players playing in the Masters Tournament. DeChambeau is the tournament leader, while Mickelson finished T35, with a score of 1 over.
A look back at Bryson DeChambeau at the Masters first round and more
DeChambeau got the first round off to a flying start with three birdies in the first three holes. He made the turn at 2 under after making bogey on the 9th, but it was on the back nine where DeChambeau found the top of his game.
DeChambeau made five bogey-free birdies on the back nine, with three consecutive birdies between the 15th and 17th. With this, he moved to the top of the leaderboard, one stroke ahead of Scottie Scheffler.
Nicolai Hojgaard was third after the first 18 holes, with a score of 5 under. Several players are tied for fourth place, including surprise package Max Homa, who has posted only one top 10 in the Majors during his career.
Tiger Woods was one of 27 players unable to finish the round on Thursday due to darkness, when he was playing the 13th hole with a score of 1 under. Resuming his round on Friday, Woods bogeyed the 14th and 18th to finish at 1 over.
