Jordan Spieth, who has played better than any golfer in the world since late last year, continued his hot streak by shooting 8-under-par 64 to take a three-stroke lead over Ernie Els, Justin Rose, Jason Day and Charley Hoffman after one round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
The 21-year-old Spieth, who finished second to Bubba Watson last year in his first appearance at Augusta, carded four birdies on the front nine and added five on the back, making his only bogey at No. 15.
“Certainly played well,” said Spieth, who has won three times since the end of November and has finished no worse than second in his last three events, including a victory in the Valspar Championship.
“Shoot 64 at Augusta National, it’s my first round (here) under 70. When I was there on 15, I knew if I could birdie there I could get to 10 on the day. I’ve never shot 10-under in a professional round in my life. … I got some good breaks that turned it from a good round to a great round.”
Spieth, the youngest first-round leader in Masters history, was the first player with nine birdies in a round at the Masters since Tiger Woods in 2011.
Day posted five straight birdies through the 16th hole and was alone in second before making a bogey on the next hole en route to a 67, while Els, 45, also was at 6-under after an eagle on the 16th hole before finishing his 67 with a bogey at No. 18.
Rose birdied three of the first six holes and added three more birdies on the back, with only a bogey at No. 11 marring his 67, while Hoffman highlighted his 67 with a 12-foot eagle putt on the 15th hole in the first threesome of the day.
Sergio Garcia got up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the final hole to record a 68 that included a lone bogey at No. 6, to tie for sixth with Georgia native Russell Henley, who bounced back from his only bogey at No. 11 with two late birdies.
Paul Casey didn’t make a bogey until the final hole in a 69 that left him in a tie for eighth with Bill Haas, Webb Simpson and Ryan Palmer.
Rory McIlroy, who can complete the Career Grand Slam by winning this week, came in at 71 and was in a tie for 18th that included defending champion Bubba Watson, who has claimed the Green Jacket two of the last three years.
Four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods, playing for the first time since February, was tied for 41st after a 73 and three-time winner Phil Mickelson tied for 12th with a 70.
