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A master at Augusta

Spieth records stunning opening round at the Masters

A year after his wire-to-wire US Masters triumph, Jordan Spieth is still making history at Augusta National and serving notice that his rivals will have to pry the Green Jacket off him.

The world No. 2 matched the lowest opening round by a defending champion yesterday morning (Singapore time), firing a six-under 66 to seize a two-stroke lead after the first round.

"I put it up there with one of the best rounds I've played," Spieth said (inset, right).

He ended the day two shots ahead of New Zealander Danny Lee and Irishman Shane Lowry, with Englishmen Justin Rose, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Spaniard Sergio Garcia a further stroke back after opening with 69s.

Shaking off a run of inconsistent form on the US PGA Tour in recent weeks, Spieth sank a six-footer at the third, a 13-footer at the sixth and a four-footer at the eighth to reach the turn at three-under 33.

The American picked up further shots at the 10th and 13th, sank a clutch 15-footer to save par at the 16th and finished in style by rolling in a six-footer at the last before pumping his fist in celebration.

Not since Jack Nicklaus in 1966 - the year he became the first back-to-back Masters winner - has a defending champion owned the outright lead after the first round, but the 22-year-old matched the feat and could join Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners in the tournament's history.

After matching Woods for the lowest 72-hole score in Masters history at 18-under 270 last year, Spieth solved cool and breezy conditions for a bogey-free round that might have been superior to his opening 64 last year.

"The way I was playing was better a year ago, but the score that came out of the round may have been more impressive today," he said.

"Got a lot out of the round with what I felt like was kind of average-ish ball striking. It was extremely special to stay bogey-free on a day like today at the Masters."

BOGEY-FREE

Spieth was the only player in the 89-strong field not to cough up a bogey in the first of the year's four Majors.

He became the first golfer to lead the Masters for five rounds in a row and the first to begin his Masters career with nine consecutive rounds at par or better.

"Being in this position is really cool," Spieth said.

"We just stay patient with what we're doing.

"We know how to win this tournament, we believe in our process and if the putts are dropping, then hopefully it goes our way."

Spieth was greeted at the tee of the par-three 12th by a standing ovation from the huge crowds that gather to overlook the famed three-hole stretch known as "Amen Corner."

"It was one of the coolest moments I've ever had here," said the world No. 2.

"Just to see everyone start to rise, it was really cool to feel like you belong as the Masters champion.

"Not that I needed any more reason, but just (that) the gallery recognises you've won here and this is a special place to you. I thought it was an awesome moment."

Playing partner Casey was mpressed with how he coped with the winds that swirled through the Georgia pines.

"That was a flawless round of golf," the Englishman said.

"When he got into trouble... he bailed out in the right place and what could have been an error he turned into a wonderful par save.

"It was great to have a front-row seat to watch that." - Reuters

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