Bill Haas seizes opening-round lead at 78th US Masters

American golfer Bill Haas has taken a one-stroke lead in the opening round of the 78th Masters on Thursday, going ahead of defending champion Adam Scott, who took a double bogey at the Augusta National.

Haas stood on four-under par through 14 holes while Scott, who last year became the first Australian to win the green jacket symbolic of Masters supremacy, found the water at the par-3 12th on the way to a double bogey that dropped him into a share of third alongside South Korean K.J. Choi.

According to Sport24, Masters debutant Stephen Gallacher from Scotland birdied the ninth to make the turn at three-under while Swedish Jonas Blixt, who finished with a bogey, and Americans Gary Woodland and Kevin Stadler shared the clubhouse lead on two-under.

The report mentioned that Australian Jason Day was one-under after four holes while Rory McIlroy was on level par through 12, adding that Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose, the reigning British and US Open champions respectively, each opened with pars in the penultimate group.