Jordan Spieth sets early pace at Augusta National with 64
Friday 10 April 2015 19:45, UK
Jordan Spieth has made a sparkling start to the 2015 Masters where he carded an eight-under-par 64 to grab a three-shot lead after 18 holes.
The in-form Texan, who has finished 1st-2nd-2nd in his last three events, was at one stage threatening to tear up the Augusta National record books as he reached eight-under-par through 14 holes.
At the 14th he produced arguably the shot of the day when, from a difficult lie behind a tree just off the fairway on the right, he curled his approach onto the green with the ball clattering the flag before coming to rest two feet from the cup.
He duly made his sixth birdie in seven holes and looked ready to make history over Augusta’s closing quartet.
At this point and with the par-five 15th to play, the world No 4 needed to cover the final four holes in two-under to post the lowest round ever recorded at The Masters and become the first player in history to break 63 in a major.
But on the 15th, and with the adrenaline obviously pumping, he over-hit his approach which raced through the green and down the bank at the back of the putting surface.
From there he took four more shots – missing a 14-footer for par – and a resulting bogey-six broke the spell.
Pars at 16 and 17 followed before Spieth collected his ninth birdie of the day at the final hole where, pin-high, he confidently rolled in a 20-footer.
Afterwards, Spieth admitted that the course was in perfect condition for collecting birdies.
He said: “The greens were softer and slower than they will be the rest of the week.
“It allowed us to fire shots into the hole and not have to worry too much about downhill putts which were somewhat makeable anyway.
“Last year in round one I was tentative, making sure I got my pars, but this time I was a little more ready to ride off some of the momentum and fire at the pins knowing the greens were receptive.”
As for his solitary bogey at 15, he added: “I knew I had a birdie chance. It was probably one of the easier holes today.
“I was thinking I could play the last four in one-under and post a 63.
“But I had a little bit of a mud ball on 15 and a little in-between clubs and I chose to hit a hybrid instead of a solid 4-iron. That was the only mistake today.”
The greens were softer and slower than they will be the rest of the week.
However, last year’s joint runner-up will have left the course thinking what might have been but he remains in great shape to challenge for the title once again on Sunday.
His nearest challengers after 18 holes are Charley Hoffman, Justin Rose, Ernie Els and Jason Day who all made 67s.
American Hoffman teed off in the opening group while Aussie Day was part of the final threesome.
Day had a particularly interesting round in which he parred the opening seven holes, before his afternoon caught fire with birdies at eight and nine.
There were then five successive birdies from the 12th, with a couple of bogeys also thrown in to the mix for the former Masters runner-up.
In between Hoffman and Day there were five-under-par scores for Rose and Els who made an eagle-three at 15.
Russell Henley and Sergio Garcia were a further stroke back after 68s, with the latter posting just a single bogey all day.
Leaders:
-8 J Spieth (USA) F
-5 C Hoffman (USA) F
-5 J Rose (Eng) F
-5 E Els (Rsa) F
-5 J Day (Aus) F
-4 R Henley (USA) F
-4 S Garcia (Esp) F
-3 B Haas (USA) F
-3 W Simpson (USA) F
-3 R Palmer (USA) F
-3 P Casey (Eng) F
Watch the remainder of The Masters live on Sky Sports 4 HD
