AUGUSTA, Georgia - Rory McIlroy has often jettisoned himself out of contention in the first round of the Masters but the Northern Irishman managed to flip the script on Thursday and pump life into his hopes of completing the career Grand Slam.

McIlroy, playing in conditions made tougher by shifting winds, carded a one-under-par 71 at Augusta National that was his lowest opening-round Masters score since 2018 and left him six shots back of leader Bryson DeChambeau.