SA players struggle in first round of 2026 Masters

South Africa’s three players at this year’s Masters tournament at Augusta National got off to mixed starts in their first rounds on Thursday.

Former champion Charl Schwartzel, who the famous green jacket in 2011, and rising SA stars Aldrich Potgieter and Casey Jarvis were among the early players to get their first rounds underway on the first day of the year’s first Major, and the 90th edition of the Masters.

Schwartzel performed best of the SA players with an opening 75, three-over par in a round that included two birdies and five bogeys. The birdies came at the par-three sixth and par-three 12th.

The 41-year-old recently played at the first LIV Golf tournament in Africa at Steyn City in Joburg, for the Southern Guards team. He joined LIV Golf in 2022 when the breakaway tour got going and won the first event, in London in June of that year.

Jarvis, who qualified for his first Masters by winning the SA Open title at Stellenbosch just a few weeks ago, a week after also capturing the Kenya Open title, recorded an opening round of 77 to be five-over-par.

He enjoyed a mixed day out on the fast turf of Augusta, making solid birdies at the third, sixth and 10th holes, but he also struggled and bogeyed three holes, made a double at the par-three fourth and a triple bogey at the par-five 13th, which hurt his final score.

Meanwhile, Potgieter, who played in his first Masters in 2023 at the age of 18 and missed the cut, had a day to forget on Thursday.

The big-hitting former (British) Amateur Championship winner from 2022 opened with an 84 yesterday – with a front nine 44 and back nine 40.

His round included just one birdie at the par-five 13th and five bogeys and four double bogeys. With a score of 12-over-par he was well down on the leaderboard with several players just starting their first rounds.

To stay updated with the latest scores click here.