Spieth Off To Great Start In Masters

Jordan Spieth is off to another great start in the Masters because of the way he finished. His two biggest rivals were left behind because they couldn't.

Spieth capped the only bogey-free round in the wicked wind at Augusta National by making a 15-foot par putt on the 16th hole and hitting an 8-iron into 6 feet for birdie on the final hole for a 6-under 66 and a 2-shot lead, the first step in his bid to win another green jacket.

Jason Day couldn't keep pace. On the verge of tying for the lead late in the round Thursday, Day dropped five shots in three holes and had to settle for a 72. Rory McIlroy pulled to within two shots of the lead, before he made two bogeys over the last three holes. When a day of big wind, big numbers and far too many putts for Ernie Els was finally over, it felt as though nothing had changed from last year.

Spieth is the man to beat at the Masters. He was atop the leaderboard for the fifth straight round, and he has had at least a share of the lead in six of the past seven rounds at the Masters. One more, and he matches the longest streak since Arnold Palmer in 1960 and the opening two rounds of 1961.

Just like last year, now it's time for the rest of the field to try to catch Spieth.

"We're through one round," Spieth said. "There's going to be a lot of different changes. There are going to be a lot of different birdies, bogeys and everything in between. We know how to win this golf tournament, and we believe in our process. And if the putts are dropping, then hopefully it goes our way."

He had a 2-shot lead over Danny Lee and Shane Lowry. Three shots behind was a group that included Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Paul Casey. Still in the mix were Day and McIlroy, though both gave up a lot of ground in a short amount of time.