Scottie Scheffler assessed during first round of The Masters at Augusta National

Scottie Scheffler opened with a solid 4-under 68 to surge into early contention for a third Masters title in four years at Augusta National. 

Scheffler, 28, got his first round underway at the 2025 Masters Tournament at 10.15am local time on Thursday.

The runaway World No.1 started the week as a warm 4/1 favourite to slip on the coveted Masters Green Jacket for a third time in the last four years. 

And after opening with a 68 to jump into early contention at The Masters, his odds have already been slashed in half ahead of day two. 

Scheffler played a flawless round of golf on Thursday at Augusta National.

He is looking to become the first player to successfully defend The Masters since Tiger Woods in 2002. 

GolfMagic has a live Masters blog running on the website this week.

You keep up to speed with all the latest scores and commentary from Augusta National here. 

We also ran live play by play updates of Scheffler's first round at The Masters. 

Scroll down for live Scheffler updates...

Scottie Scheffler Assessed During Masters First Round 

Hole 1 (Par 4): Scheffler split the opening fairway and then sent his second shot into 35 feet. He rolled his birdie attempt down the slope to two feet - PAR 

Hole 2 (Par 5): Scheffler leaked his drive to the right rough, just short of the giant fairway bunker. He then thrashed a fairway wood just shy of the green. From there he hit a fantastic chip to six feet under the hole and then converted the birdie putt to move into the red for the first time in the round - BIRDIE (-1)

Hole 3 (Par 4): The defending champion once again split the fairway, coming up just shy of the green. From there Scheffler chipped his ball up to 12 feet but he would snap his birdie attempt across the face - PAR (-1)

Hole 4 (Par 3): It was bit of a pull from Scheffler from the tee but he found the heart of the green, and then incredibly buried the 62-footer from distance for a second birdie of the day - BIRDIE (-2)

Hole 5 (Par 4): Scheffler continued his impressive early display off the tee by once again hitting the fairway. He took dead aim with his approach shot but just missed his landing spot by two yards and his ball trundled to the back of the green. He two-putted from there though for a safe par to remain two shots off the pace - PAR (-2)

Hole 6 (Par 3): Similar to the 6th, Scheffler hit a bit of pull with his tee shot. His ball finished some 40 feet away from the pin but he safely two-putted for par - PAR (-2)

Hole 7 (Par 4): Scheffler looked like he didn't like his drive much but it hung in there for him and found the left side of the fairway. He certainly didn't like his approach shot though as it came up well short in the right bunker. Scheffler then played a terrific splash shot from there to save par - PAR (-2)

Hole 8 (Par 5): Scheffler just misses the fairway down the left side but then plays a great second shot just right of the green. He chipped his ball past the hole to 12 feet and then drained the birdie putt - BIRDIE (-3)

Hole 9 (Par 4): After another fairway-splitting drive from the World No.1, he sends his approach shot in to some 25 feet right of the pin just in the fringe - PAR (-3)

Hole 10 (Par 4): Another fairway hit for Scheffler and he finds the heart of the green en route to making par - PAR (-3)

Hole 11 (Par 3): Scheffler misses the green right but chips up tight to the hole and knocks home the par save - PAR (-3)

Hole 12 (Par 4): More sensible golf from Scheffler, who finds the middle of the green once more and it leads to safe par - PAR (-3)

Hole 13 (Par 5): First sloppy mistake of the day from Scheffler. After a fantastic drive down the fairway and finding the green in two shots, he three-putted from 30 feet - PAR (-3)

Hole 14 (Par 4): More poetry from tee to green for Scheffler. He leaves himself with 12 feet for birdie but narrowly misses on the left side - PAR (-3)

Hole 15 (Par 5): Long of the green in two, Scheffler chipped up to 15 feet but could not convert the birdie putt - PAR (-3)

Hole 16 (Par 3): Heart of the green to some 35 feet, but this time the ball went down for birdie - BIRDIE (-4)

Hole 17 (Par 4): Scheffler settles for par - PAR (-4)

Hole 18 (Par 4): The first errant drive of the day as Scheffler finds the sand from the tee, but he plays a brilliant second shot to 10 feet behind the pin. He fails to convert the putt but it all adds up to a solid 4-under 68 to vault Scheffler into early contention for a third Masters title in four years - PAR (-4)

First Round Score: 68 (-4)

GolfMagic Verdict of Scheffler's First Round at The Masters: 

A ball striking clinic from the defending champion and runaway World No.1 Scottie Scheffler. 

It's very easy to see why Scheffler started out this week as a red-hot favourite, and his odds have already been slashed in half after the first 18 holes.

Scheffler is already on the first page of the leaderboard and quite frankly, if you finish in front of him this week then you'll find yourself with a Green Jacket on your back. 

Keep up to speed with live scores here.