Apparently we're expecting the winds to start whipping up around Augusta National later on in the afternoon, with gusts forecast of around 22-27mph.

With drying greens getting firmer, that should make things a lot tougher for the later starters, and means the early wave need to make their scores now.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland's Shane Lowry, who has just started off with a oar today, said he was "pleased" with his opening 71 despite making "the sloppiest bogey of all time" on the 17th.

"I felt on the front nine I wasn't playing great but turned in -2 and felt like I played better on the back nine and didn't really get anything out of it," he said.

"I was fuming walking off 17 green to be honest because I'd worked so hard to stay under par and then when I hit my drive up 17, I thought with where the pin was and where it was on 18, I knew there would be two chances.

"But it was just the sloppiest bogey of all time. But to birdie the last and shoot under par was nice. Justin Rose went a bit crazy today but this golf course is not giving anything - it's firm.

"It will play very tough over the next few days."

Short par four third for Rory McIlroy and his group and the Northern Irishman goes first, flinging his ball way over those fairway bunkers and within striking distance of the green.

Another inviting opportunity to claw a shot back.

Bryson DeChambeau, one of 12 LIV players at here, spoke after round one about his patience being key. He spent a long time at the short game area before tee off today, after hitting balls late last night as the sole player on the range.

He's started off with a nice par today as he hopes all his practice pays off.

Right then Rory McIlroy, can you make it count?

Yes indeed! There's a niggle as it lips round but drops, and he's back into the red.

From similar distance, Ludvig Aberg pulls his putt and it stays afloat. Par for the Swede.

Justin Rose gives himself a nice look at birdie on the par-three sixth but again he just burns the edge from 16 feet - that was another nice putt though and he's looking pretty solid out there this morning.

OK, so driving distance isn't actually that much of a key stat when it comes to actually winning the Masters - but it certainly can help on a number of holes.

It's also fun to see who the bombers are in the field - we know Bryson DeChambeau is the big dog in the long drivers yard, but Dustin Johnson can still send it and if you want surprising, effortless power then look at Ludvig Aberg!

(This is the average of driving distance data collected on holes 5 and 15)

Urgh, that's a miserable position for Rory McIlroy's drive to end up at the second.

Behind a tree and needing to clip out just to be able to play again.

So he does and - this is a par five - he duly wizards a wedge onto the green and dancing within six feet of the pin.

Conjured a great birdie opportunity out of nowhere.

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Excellent start from Sung-jae Im who has birdied both his opening holes.

He's accelerated to three under par and up to a share of fifth.

The cut over the past 15 years at Augusta National:

• 2024: +6
• 2023: +3
• 2022: +4
• 2021: +3
• 2020: E
• 2019: +3
• 2018: +5
• 2017: +6
• 2016: +6
• 2015: +2
• 2014: +4
• 2013: +4
• 2012: +5
• 2011: +1
• 2010: +3

The Justin Rose putter can't get him out of jail this time, even though he hits his par save from 15 feet nicely, it just rolls to the right of the hole and stays up.

That's just his second bogey of the tournament but was all due to the mistake off the tee. That's two mistakes with tee shots now after finishing with two bad swings last night as well.

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In slightly softer conditions after the overnight rain, just 10 of the 33 players out on the course are making hay and currently under par.

A breezy morning isn't making conditions easy.

Only one is two under par... Jose Maria Olazabal!

The veteran two-time champion has dropped a birdie putt on the eighth to go two under for the day.

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Thursday was a tough day for 2023 champion Jon Rahm who looked off the pace on his way to a three-over 75.

His frustration nearly spilled over at the ninth after a particularly shanked shot but he held it together. His defence last year was flimsy, finishing 45th, and he's going to struggle to contend this year as well.

As for playing partner Tommy Fleetwood, he needed his putter to heat up - and it stubbornly stayed cold.

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Love Friday and the mad scramble to try and make the weekend.

Here at Augusta, the cut mark is the top 50 plus ties.

At the moment, that's +1 - but much can change over the next nine hours.

Justin Rose is in more trouble down the fifth as he finds the bunker off the tee that you simply just have to avoid. He gets the ball out but is left with 70 yards to get up and down from to save his par.

Lovely touch from Rory McIlroy as he tucks his lengthy putt to within two feet of the pin.

A fine-looking two putt keeps him at level par.

Playing partners Akshay Bhatia and Ludvig Aberg also escape hole one unscathed.

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Bryson DeChambeau was doing an interview as the sun was going down across Augusta National last night and just got completely carried away by the beauty of it all.

"I'm in a mindset, more of a mindset where I feel a lot more patient. I think that pays dividends out here when it's a really windy day or even a perfect day.

"Even a perfect day. I mean, look at it. It's just perfect. It's beautiful. I'm enjoying this right now.

"I'm sorry. I appreciate the questions, but it's beautiful right now. Look at that. It's glowing."

What a great, refreshing attitude from the reigning US Open champion - still loving every minute of playing in the Masters.

So Justin Rose is some 52 yards short of the fourth green, which again is just a par three, and there's no way he's played a shot from there in a practice round so he does well to get a yardage.

And he does even better with his pitch shot that grips and spins a little to rest just five feet away, and there's a mini fist pump from the leader as he knows that was a tough three to make after that tee shot.

Rory McIlroy's ball was a bit more embedded in the rough than it first appeared and it curtails his second shot a touch as he takes aim at the green.

He's on the dance floor, but at 70 feet from the pin, he's struggling to find a partner.

I enjoyed this from Matt Fitzpatrick.

Fresh from his bogey at the first, he's just drained a 33-foot eagle putt at the second and is up to two under!

Atta'boy Fitz!