University of Tennessee Athletics
Photo by: David Paul Morris/Augusta National
Herrington Cards Four Birdies in Up-and-Down Opening Round of Masters
April 09, 2026 | Men's Golf
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tennessee sophomore Jackson Herrington realized a dream on Thursday morning, teeing off the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
Playing alongside 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera and Sami Valimaki, Herrington recorded a 4-over-par 76 to begin his first major appearance. He is tied for 56th place in the 91-player field through 18 holes, with the second-best score among the six amateurs competing.
Herrington's first round score matched that of Bryson DeChambeau and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, while eclipsing the score of top professional names such as Patrick Cantlay (+5), Min Woo Lee (+6), and 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm (+6).
A whirlwind of a day for Herrington was highlighted by a 24-foot birdie putt on hole No. 1 and a 1-under-par score on the iconic Amen Corner. After an adrenaline-filled bogey on hole No. 1, the Dickson, Tennessee, native bounced back with an impressive up-and-down birdie on hole No. 2.
The 19-year-old improved to 1-under-par through four holes with a ten-foot downhill birdie putt on hole No. 4, before being setback by two bogeys and a double-bogey on the next three holes. Herrington wrapped up the first nine with the aforementioned long birdie putt on hole No. 8, which was offset by a bogey on hole No. 9 to sit at 3-over-par.
Things calmed down on the second nine for Herrington. After successfully navigating Amen Corner with a birdie on hole No. 13, he carded a bogey on hole No. 14 and narrowly missed out on a birdie on hole No. 15. A bogey on hole No. 17 was the final square on the scorecard as Herrington went 1-over-par on the second nine.
The Vol sophomore has work to do on Friday to make the cut and extend his stay at Augusta National into the weekend. The top 50 golfers, plus ties, at the end of round two make the Masters' cut and earn the right to play a full 72 holes.
A later tee time awaits Herrington, Cabrera, and Valimaki on Friday morning as the trio is slated to get round two underway at 11:27 a.m. EDT.
2026 Masters Tee Times – Jackson Herrington
Round Two – Friday, April 10 – 11:27 a.m. EDT
2026 Masters Amateur Standings (Round One)
T-40. Ethan Fang: 74 (+2)
T-56. Jackson Herrington: 76 (+4)
T-65. Mason Howell: 77 (+5)
T-82. Fifa Laopakdee: 80 (+8)
T-86. Mateo Pulcini: 81 (+9)
T-86. Brandon Holtz: 81 (+9)
Playing alongside 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera and Sami Valimaki, Herrington recorded a 4-over-par 76 to begin his first major appearance. He is tied for 56th place in the 91-player field through 18 holes, with the second-best score among the six amateurs competing.
Herrington's first round score matched that of Bryson DeChambeau and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, while eclipsing the score of top professional names such as Patrick Cantlay (+5), Min Woo Lee (+6), and 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm (+6).
A whirlwind of a day for Herrington was highlighted by a 24-foot birdie putt on hole No. 1 and a 1-under-par score on the iconic Amen Corner. After an adrenaline-filled bogey on hole No. 1, the Dickson, Tennessee, native bounced back with an impressive up-and-down birdie on hole No. 2.
The 19-year-old improved to 1-under-par through four holes with a ten-foot downhill birdie putt on hole No. 4, before being setback by two bogeys and a double-bogey on the next three holes. Herrington wrapped up the first nine with the aforementioned long birdie putt on hole No. 8, which was offset by a bogey on hole No. 9 to sit at 3-over-par.
Things calmed down on the second nine for Herrington. After successfully navigating Amen Corner with a birdie on hole No. 13, he carded a bogey on hole No. 14 and narrowly missed out on a birdie on hole No. 15. A bogey on hole No. 17 was the final square on the scorecard as Herrington went 1-over-par on the second nine.
The Vol sophomore has work to do on Friday to make the cut and extend his stay at Augusta National into the weekend. The top 50 golfers, plus ties, at the end of round two make the Masters' cut and earn the right to play a full 72 holes.
A later tee time awaits Herrington, Cabrera, and Valimaki on Friday morning as the trio is slated to get round two underway at 11:27 a.m. EDT.
2026 Masters Tee Times – Jackson Herrington
Round Two – Friday, April 10 – 11:27 a.m. EDT
2026 Masters Amateur Standings (Round One)
T-40. Ethan Fang: 74 (+2)
T-56. Jackson Herrington: 76 (+4)
T-65. Mason Howell: 77 (+5)
T-82. Fifa Laopakdee: 80 (+8)
T-86. Mateo Pulcini: 81 (+9)
T-86. Brandon Holtz: 81 (+9)
Players Mentioned
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