Bryson DeChambeau leads at Augusta but the relentless Scottie Scheffler is on his tail

Bryson DeChambeau beat his personal par by two shots as a relentless Scottie Scheffler made an ominous start to his bid for a second Masters title.

Almost three and a half years after claiming that Augusta National was a "par 67 for me" due to his prodigious hitting, DeChambeau carded a seven-under-par 65 on a windswept opening day which followed a lengthy weather delay.

But that was only good enough for a one-shot lead over Scheffler, the world number one and 2022 champion posting a bogey-free 66 that left playing partner Rory McIlroy trailing in his wake.

McIlroy, who is making his 10th attempt to win the Masters and complete a career grand slam, made four birdies and three bogeys in his 71, while defending champion Jon Rahm bogeyed the last two holes in a 73.

Former champion Danny Willett posted a superb 68 in his first event since undergoing shoulder surgery in September, the 36-year-old only deciding on Sunday that he was ready to compete in the year's first major.

Shane Lowry, one of the later starters, was on even par as dusk fell, with still two holes to complete in his opening round.

Lowry began brightly with a textbook birdie on the first, missing further birdie opportunities on the second and third. He stumbled towards the end of the outward nine, with a bogey at the fiendishly difficult fifth and then another on the seventh after an unaccountably poor approach shot.

He returned to even par after draining an 11ft birdie on the par-5 13th. The day ended on a frustrating note, the 2019 champion sinking to his knees after a short birdie putt slid by on the famous 16th, after which the horn sounded.

DeChambeau birdied his first three holes and bounced back from his only dropped shot of the day on the ninth with a