AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Jordan Spieth kept up his hot play on the PGA Tour with a brilliant opening round at the Masters, shooting an 8-under 64 Thursday for a three-stroke lead.
Spieth birdied eight of the first 14 holes, his shots so precise that he often had nothing more than tap-ins with the putter. He rolled in a 6-footer at the 12th, a 2-footer at the 13th, then nearly holed out from behind a tree along the 14th fairway, the ball striking the flagstick before settling about 2 feet away for another easy birdie.
The 21-year-old Texas went to the par-5 15th with a shot at the major championship scoring record, which is 63. But he muscled his second shot through the green, leading to his only bogey.
He finished up with a 20-foot birdie putt at the 18th.
Jason Day, Charley Hoffman, Justin Rose and Ernie Els each shot 67 and are tied for second.
