AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jordan Spieth has heard the whispers, and he’s responded with a snicker. Well, considering he comes across as a well-mannered Texan, it was his best version of a snicker.
What’s been wrong with Spieth’s game, some have wondered. He hasn’t won since January, after all, and he’s lost his grip on the world’s No. 1 ranking.
“Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out why people think I’ve been struggling,” Spieth said. “We’ve finished in the top 20 eight out of the last nine events. What am I supposed to do?”
Well, returning to the place where he’s owned the outright lead for five straight rounds now is a nice place to start. Spieth was the only player to tour Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday without making a bogey, shooting a 6-under-par 66 to build a two-shot lead over Danny Lee and Shane Lowry after the first round of the 80th Masters.
While most everyone else struggled with the whipping winds and the stress and pressure that comes from a major championship, Spieth looked completely at ease. His comfort level is most evident when danger lurks and bogeys loom. He didn’t back himself into too many of those corners, chipping and putting his way to a clean card, letting the field know that last year’s Masters win might be history, but there’s more to be made.
Spieth wants to be the one making it. He went wire-to-wire in winning the Masters last year, matching the 72-hole scoring record and winning by four strokes. He slept on the outright lead every night, and apparently liked it so much he took it home with him again after Thursday’s first round.
Last year, Spieth opened with 64. He was two shots higher this time, but thinks it might have been a better round.
“I put it up there with one of the best rounds I’ve played, one of the best rounds I’ve scored,” Spieth said. “I would have signed for 2 under today and not even played the round, knowing the conditions that were coming up. Got a lot out of the round. Just scored the ball extremely well, which is something I’ve been struggling with this season.”
Not this time, and the first sign came on the first hole. Spieth flared a 6-iron right of the green on his approach shot, but pitched close and left himself an easy tap-in to save his par. The same thing happened on the par-3 fourth, when he saved par with a strong chip after another loose 6-iron.
Then the birdies started arriving, because his putter started heating up. A birdie at the short third hole was followed by a 12-footer on No. 6, a short one at the eighth, and three more on the back nine, including a 5-footer at the 18th.
Spieth averaged 27 putts per round in his Masters victory a year ago. He had 25 on Thursday.
“Certainly made a lot of putts today,” he said. “I feel like my game’s been trending in the right direction, I just haven’t gotten [low] scores out of how I felt I’d been playing. That normally just comes down to putting.”
The 66 ties for the lowest first-round score by a defending Masters champion; Jose Maria Olazabal had a 66 in 1995, and went on to tie for 14th. Spieth is trying to repeat as Masters champion, something only three others have done: Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90), and Tiger Woods (2001-02). Nicklaus was the first-round leader in 1966, and until Spieth the only defending champion to lead after 18 holes the following year.
Spieth’s lead was challenged. Lowry and Jason Day – who knocked Spieth from the No. 1 perch last week — each shot 5-under 31s on the front nine. Lowry gave one shot back on the inward nine to finish at 4 under, while Day, winner in his past two starts and six of his last 13, went 6-6 on Nos. 15-16 to complete a strange even-par scorecard: 31-41.
“I’m not too frustrated with how everything went. It’s not the way I planned it out today, but I felt like I played some really good golf up until then,” said Day, whose triple-bogey at the par-3 16th was his first ever at the Masters. “If you get yourself out of position here it’s very difficult to salvage par.”
Paul Casey played with Spieth and led a five-player group at 3 under, along with Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Soren Kjeldsen, and Sergio Garcia. Rory McIlroy, needing a win here to complete the career grand slam, was another shot back at 70.
Like last year, they’re all chasing Spieth, who took advantage of the slightly milder morning conditions to make him a perfect 9 for 9. In nine rounds at the Masters, Spieth has shot even-par 72 or better every time. Over his last five rounds here, he’s 24 under par.
“I enjoy this tournament more than anywhere else. It’s easy for us. We don’t have any or many distractions in our preparation,” said Spieth, who hit 8 of 14 fairways, one day after detecting a crack in the face of his driver and being forced to find an 11th-hour substitute.
Asked if the 66 was a statement to anyone questioning the state of his game, Spieth said, “If we continue what we’re doing right now and it goes our way, then that would be a fantastic statement to have made. But I feel great about the way things have been. Everything’s been good. I told everyone the last two weeks that it’s coming around. We’re just waiting for the scores, and they are finally coming out.”
Some Masters highlights from Thursday’s opening round:
Gary Player, the 80-year-old South African who said he prepared by doing 1,300 sit-ups and crunches, belted his drive down the middle. The 76-year-old Nicklaus hit it higher and shorter.
‘‘Gary won his tournament this year,’’ Nicklaus said with a grin. ‘‘I hit a popup.’’
‘‘I wouldn’t be too concerned about me outdriving you too much,’’ Player replied, ‘‘because you did it to me for 50 damn years.’’
But this moment was all about Palmer.
‘‘It was gratifying and sad, because everything shall pass,’’ Player said. ‘‘But it was nice to have him on the tee. I dedicated my first tee shot to him in respect. It’s a very special moment.’’
After the original ‘‘Big Three’’ stepped aside, the 80th Masters began for real.
Rickie Fowler’s pursuit of his first major title got off to a rocky start, with a drive into the trees leading to a double-bogey at No. 1. He bounced back with three birdies before a bogey at the seventh sent him around the turn with an even-par 36.
However, he took a triple on No. 13. His drive went right, into the trees. Then Fowler had to take a drop after his third shot landed in the creek and he overshot the green, chipping it 17 feet past the hole and two-putting for an 8.
Day and four-time major champion Rory McIlroy had afternoon tee times.
View early highlights from the first round:
Day notches an eagle on No. 2:
Brandt Snedeker makes an improbable birdie on No. 4:
Justin Rose make a huge breaking putt on No. 10 for birdie: