Following a slow start, the Olympic champion went nine under par for his last 11 holes to card a 65 and carve out a substantial lead at the first men's major of the year in Georgia.

England's Rose turned his round around with an eagle on the eighth hole and did not drop a shot thereafter, adding seven birdies.

This is the sixth time Rose has held a Masters lead - either outright or as a share - at the end of a round, which is the most of any player who has not won an iconic green jacket.

Rose has won one major, the 2013 US Open, and suffered heartbreak at Augusta National in 2017 when he lost to Spaniard Sergio Garcia in a playoff.

This year, Japan's Hideki Matsuyama and American Brian Harman are the closest to Rose after 18 holes, both on three under par.

Harman produced three birdies in the last six holes to shoot 69, whereas Matsuyama dropped a shot on 17.

South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Americans Will Zalatoris, Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed - a Georgia native who was the champion in 2018 - are all five shots behind Rose in a tie for fourth place.

Spain's Jon Rahm, ranked third in the world, is at even par, a shot behind Irishman Shane Lowry.

Lowry, the reigning British Open champion, was a playing partner for Rose today.

Defending champion Dustin Johnson is two over, as are fellow Americans Brooks Koepka - who had surgery to correct a kneecap dislocation and ligament damage less than a month ago - and Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champion.

Rory McIlroy, who has won every major apart from this one, saw his first-round woes at the majors continue, with a run of four bogeys in five holes likely torpedoing his chances and leaving the Northern Irishman four shots over par.

England's in-form Lee Westwood fared even worse and is six over par.

The four-round tournament continues tomorrow.