JUSTIN ROSE became a Masters record-breaker, as a blistering first round 65 took him clear of Jack Nicklaus as the greatest front-runner Augusta has ever seen.

Before this sensational seven under par effort, the English golfer was tied with six-time champion Nicklaus for the most first round leads at the Masters – four apiece.

Rose’s round equalled his best score in 71 outings at Augusta, with a 65 that gave him the outright lead after day one of the 2021 Masters.

And it looked like being a shot better until he slipped to his only bogey of the day at the 18th.

But it still provided a massive boost to his hopes of improving on his second place finishes in 2015 and 2017, when he was edged out in a play-off by Sergio Garcia.

His form this year has been erratic, with a share of third at Pebble Beach and a top ten at Bay Hill sandwiched by three missed cuts.

But Rose, 44, showed he still has what it takes to add to his 2013 US Open win when he almost chased down Xander Schauffele in last year’s Open at Troon, finishing joint runner-up with Billy Horschel.

He made a dream start to his 20th Masters with birdies at each of the opening three holes.

Two more birdies followed at eight and nine as he covered the front nine in 31 shots, just one short of the tournament record.

Further gains at 15 and 16 took him clear of the pack, and even with the dropped shot at the last he entered the clubhouse three shots clear of early pace-setters Scottie Scheffler and Corey Conners.

Scheffler had earlier opened his title defence with an almighty bang, sinking a 62 feet putt for an outrageous birdie.

And he followed it with another ‘bomb’ from 42 feet near the end of his round, to underline just how difficult it is going to be to deny him a third Augusta triumph in the last four years.

 Scheffler’s first stunner prompted a massive roar which echoed all around Augusta.

That could easily have struck fear into the hearts of Rory McIlroy and the rest of Scheffler’s rivals when they learned what had caused it.

But Rose did not seem intimidated, and neither did McIlroy, who joined the world No 1 on four under with four holes to play.

Scheffler’s first monster putt came at the par three fourth, where he would have happily signed for a three after his tee shot barely cleared the front bunker, and pulled up more than twenty yards short of the flag.

And he would probably have bitten your hand off for that par as his putt raced towards the hole at breakneck pace – but it smashed into the back of the cup, and dropped in.

The world No 1 looked slightly embarrassed as he raised his putter to acknowledge the crowd’s deafening reaction. He knew he had just been handed a huge bonus as he bids to become only the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters.

The three men to have achieved that are all Augusta legends – Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo, a three-ball who have stockpiled 14 green jackets between them.

Scheffler, 28, is playing only his sixth Masters, but he has already established himself as an Augusta specialist.

He won here in 2022 as well as last year, and is yet to finish outside the top twenty. And he had failed to shoot par or better just twice in his previous 24 rounds.

After that serene start there was never any danger of Scheffler tarnishing his record this time.

In fact there were more fireworks to come, and again it was a par three that provided the setting.

Scheffler was clearly unhappy at plonking his tee shot at the 16th hole 42 feet left of the flag.

But the disappointment was short-lived, as his birdie putt never looked like missing the target.

His 68 was the fourth successive time Scheffler has started with a score in the sixties, and he is a combined 17 under par for those opening rounds.

And the Texan’s trademark is that he makes far fewer mistakes than anyone else in the game. If you want that green jacket he is not going to give it away – you have to come and get it.

Rose is clearly up for that challenge.