Rory McIlroy records a 67 in his best opening round at the Masters since 2011.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — As Rory McIlroy placed his tee into the ground at the first tee box of Augusta National on Thursday morning, he experienced a tremor in his right hand.

This sensation was one he recognized, but on this day — his first competitive round at the Masters since achieving his long-awaited triumph and completing the career grand slam last year — it was a feeling he embraced wholeheartedly.

“I was nervous just like I always am. I’m grateful that I felt the same … I think it would be concerning if I didn’t feel that way because it definitely still matters to me,” McIlroy stated. “That’s a positive. That’s why we aim to be here. We want to strive to play our best golf when we feel like that.”

Although McIlroy did not perform at his highest level during the opening round, he still navigated his 18 holes with a blend of patience and freedom, resulting in a 5-under 67, which placed him in a tie for the early lead with Sam Burns and marked his lowest opening round at the Masters since 2011.

“I didn’t strike the ball particularly well in the first seven holes, and sometimes that would lead me to become tentative and a bit cautious here,” McIlroy remarked. “I kept swinging, trusting that I would find it eventually. So perhaps that was a slight change.”

Despite hitting only 5-of-14 fairways, McIlroy demonstrated his ability to score effectively, securing birdies on the 13th and 15th holes even after his drives landed in or behind Augusta’s pine trees, along with one on the 14th — a hole he played over par last year.

McIlroy mentioned that based on his ball striking, a fair score for him would have been 2 under, but it was clear that despite some errant shots, he maintained his composure and did not attempt to overexert himself.

Last year, his strong start was hindered by double bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17, resulting in an opening round of even par. This year, it seemed that the steering wheel he had held so tightly for over a decade was now comfortably in his grasp.

“There are still shots out there that you feel a bit tense about, and you just have to step up and commit to making a solid swing without worrying too much about where it goes,” McIlroy explained. “However, I find it easier to make those swings and not be concerned about the outcome when I know I can go to the Champions Locker Room, put on my green jacket, and enjoy a Coke Zero at the end of the day.”

Like shifting gears in a vehicle, McIlroy displayed his understanding of when to be aggressive and when to exercise caution. Earlier in the week, he noted that the discomfort he experienced last year on Nos. 7, 14, and 17 prompted him to adopt a more assertive strategy. He used a driver instead of a 3-wood on all three holes Thursday and played them at 1 under.

“I think it took me some time to reach that point where, if I concentrate on the process and the smaller goals of not compounding mistakes, like today, hitting it into trees and trying to be a hero, making sound decisions, and thinking my way around the course,” McIlroy said. “Those are the expectations I have for myself. If I can meet those expectations, then the scores and results should take care of themselves.”

In some respects, this opening round resembled the victory walk McIlroy never had last year, as he snatched victory from the brink of defeat and triumphed in a tense playoff against Justin Rose. Surrounded by the largest galleries of the day Thursday, who offered him standing ovations on nearly every green, McIlroy tipped his hat and quietly acknowledged the crowd.

More significantly, he produced a round that was worthy of his title and established a key narrative for the remainder of the week: Can he become the first player since Tiger Woods to win consecutive green jackets?

“I mentioned this when I arrived on Tuesday,” the five-time major champion stated. “I believe winning a Masters makes it easier to secure your second one, I truly do.”