Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau share the Masters Lead

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The methodical, always calculating Bryson DeChambeau, who went through a 14-hour session last week to decipher the effect of what he was seeing the "spin loft curve" of his wedges, was asked late on Thursday for the last nine holes of his to be assessed in the first round at the 2019 Masters.

DeChambeau, who birdied six of those nine holes, including the last four, responded with neither a technical nor a scientific one.

"Magic," he said.

DeChambeau was one of the last competitors on the Augusta National Golf Club site on a favorable weather day that produced 28 rounds of substandardness, and he played as if he had been enchanted by a spell.

His last full shot in the 18th hole seemed destined to roll into an eagle's hole until the flagstick put it away. DeChambeau tapped instead of about 2 inches for a final, stress-free birdie, giving him a six-under-par 66 and tied him for the lead with Brooks Koepka.

It was only the ninth competitive Masters round for DeChambeau, 25, and the first time he had scored a score in the 60s. In the past, DeChambeau freely admitted that he felt insecure in the sacred setting of the most traditionally charged event of the wave.

But on Thursday, DeChambeau showed a new maturity.

"It was understanding how to control certain emotions on the golf course," he said. "Just from a nerve perspective, be comfortable in different situations and be able to say: & # 39; I can do this, this is not a problem. & # 39;"

DeChambeau was far from being the only top golfer who fired on greens softened by rain earlier in the week.

Koepka also rose late in his round to remind the field, should anyone forget that he had won three of the last seven major championships, two of them with record scores.

When asked, Koepka (28) immediately said: "I enjoy the big stage. That's what you are reminded of."

A blow of the lead was Phil Mickelson, those two had bogeys and five birdies on the last nine.

The 48-year-old Mickelson seemed rejuvenated by his round of 67, which matched his score of the last round of last year's tournament, when he ended in a draw for 36.

"But this was a lot of fun", a smiling Michelson said Thursday. "It was amazing."

Dustin Johnson, & # 39; the world's second-ranked golfer, and Ian Poulter were two battles behind the leaders.

For most of the start of the round, the focus was on Tiger Woods, who was bound for the lead role with only a few holes left in his first round.

The rise of Woods had the Augusta National galleries in his throat, especially after he had created an unlikely bird from the thick trees to the left of the 14th hole to keep his name on top of a leaderboard filled with lots of & # 39; the world's best golfers.

"Not a bad start," Woods said later.

However, he could not retain all the momentum that he had built up. After Woods missed the green with his approach to the par-4 17th hole, his par-putt hung on the edge of the cup for a bogey moaning from the crowd circling the green.

Still, Woods finished with his usual flair. After his tee-shot hit a bunker on the last hole, Woods raised an iron shot that climbed the intimidating, steep hill of the 18th hole and pinned high down for an easy par.

Woods ended with a 70, the same first round he had when he won the tournament in 1997, 2001 and 2002. (Woods shot a first round 74 in his other Masters championship in 2005, which was also the last time he won the tournament.)

Although Woods was impressed after his round that he had shot 70 in the first round of each of these Masters victories.

"I shot this number and won four jackets, so hopefully I can do it again," he said, referring to the green jacket that Masters winners were awarded.

Regardless of that bit wrong, Woods was supported by his round. A few minutes after the end, he was past the bogey's disappointment at the penultimate hole.

"I feel very good," he said. "I played well and I checked my golf ball all day. I did all the things I had to do today to post a good number. I drove well, threw some good iron shots, the speed was good on the greens.

"I was in a position to make a few birdies on the front nine and missed them, but I felt comfortable all day. Those putts were close. All in all I was satisfied. "

At the 14th hole, after shooting his tee in the forest to the left of the fairway, he shot a short iron over the trees that were on the green at about 20 feet from the hole.

Because it was a tricky, double-breaking putt, Woods hit his next shot carefully, not even trying to lower the putt

"I just tried to leave it behind," Woods said. "It is uphill and then really fast downhill, and I also had a small ridge in line."

The pit fell into the hole and the clients roared around the greenery. Everywhere near Augusta National threw Woods & # 39; s name the handheld scoreboards up and sent a buzz through the grounds.

Then Woods smiled easily and seemed to enjoy the attention, but in his 22nd Masters, Woods knew how much more wave there was

"We have another lan you go away, "he said. & # 39; I play late tomorrow and the wind is supposed to be, so I let my work cut out for me the rest of the week. But that also applies to everyone else. "

Several golfers who dropped out Thursday morning, such as Woods, had strong rounds, including Jon Rahm, who finished with a three-under-69. Three were also the former Masters champion Adam Scott and the South African Justin Harding, who played in his first Masters.

Harding seemed a little impressed by his first round result.

"Yes, I'll take it and run if I can, "he said, adding," Oh, wait, we can't run to Augusta here. "

Walking is only a rule at Augusta National, for spectators and players.

" Let's say I'm satisfied, "said Harding.

Rickie Fowler, last year's Masters finalist, was associated with Woods, as well as eight others, including Jason Day, Gary Woodland, JB Holmes and Corey Conners, last weekend's Texas Open winner

The title defender, Patrick Reed, shot 73, just like the Winner 2017, Sergio García.