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Jason Day’s superb recovery play and late composure left him firmly in the Masters hunt after round one.

Jason Day surged into early contention at the Masters with a composed three-under-par 69 in Thursday's opening round, finishing two shots behind co-leaders Sam Burns and defending champion Rory McIlroy.

The Australian was level through nine holes before finding momentum on the back nine, collecting birdies at the 12th and 13th.

His round was defined by a standout recovery at the 14th, where he threaded an eight iron through a cluster of trees to save par, a shot that drew a strong reaction from the Augusta National galleries.

Day later explained he had 153 yards to the pin with wind from the left, and aimed to shape a high cut while managing the risk of a flyer from the first cut. The execution kept his round intact at a crucial stage.

He closed with steady nerve, draining important putts on the 17th and 18th to lead the Australian group after day one.

Adam Scott, the 2013 champion, signed for an even-par 72 after dropping a shot at the last. Cameron Smith carded a two-over 74, slipping late with bogeys on his final two holes, though he maintained he remained within reach.

Min Woo Lee faces pressure to make the halfway cut after a six-over 78.

At the top of the leaderboard, McIlroy underlined his status as a leading contender with a strong opening round, highlighted by a 29-foot birdie putt at the par-five 15th as he matched Burns.

The world No.2 is attempting to become just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles.

Elsewhere, Bryson DeChambeau's round unravelled at the 11th, where a triple-bogey derailed his momentum.

He required three shots to escape a bunker and finished at four-over, a significant setback given no player has won the Masters after recording a triple-bogey during the tournament.

Jordan Spieth was the last defending champion to lead after the opening round in 2016, placing McIlroy's position in rare historical company.