Last year's winner McIlroy leads at the Masters in Augusta

Both golf pros managed a round of 67 on the legendary course in the US state of Georgia. McIlroy's opening round of five under par was his best since 2011, when he started the tournament with 65 strokes. The 36-year-old won the Masters for the first time last year and thus ticked off the last remaining major tournament in his career.

"I think winning the Masters makes it easier to win a second time," McIlroy told the media. It is still a difficult golf course and it is not always easy to trust a shot. "But I think it's easier for me to make those shots and not worry so much about where they land. Because at the end of the day, I can still go into the champions' locker room and put on my green jacket." The winners at Augusta receive a green jacket for their success.

McIlroy didn't get off to a particularly good start, but then got into his stride and finished the opening round with a total of six birdies and one bogey. Golfers need one stroke less than usual for a birdie and one stroke more for a bogey.

Kurt Kitayama, Jason Day and Patrick Reed finished two strokes behind Burns and McIlroy. Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele and world number one Scottie Scheffler all played two under par and go into the second of four days of competition three shots behind the leaders.