Masters Day One: Jordan Spieth Reappears

Talk about foreshadowing.

As defending champion Jordan Spieth stood over a four-footer for a birdie on the eighth hole on Thursday, sirens abruptly erupted in the background from the nearby surface streets around Augusta National, signaling a serious police or fire activity of some sort. The piercing sound penetrated the air to such a shattering degree that players backed off shots, and Spieth did likewise over the putt before converting it to take the early Masters lead.

It might as well have been klaxons sounding in the serenity, for all that it seemingly portends. Spieth, who has finished second and first, respectively, in his only two Masters starts, was poised to contend yet again after opening with a bogey-free 66.

After a largely forgettable spring, Spieth was handed the Golf Writers Association of America's top-player award on Wednesday night, where highlights from his seven-win 2015 season were replayed, serving as a reminder of what a scintillating season he'd cobbled together. The next morning, he again began taking apart Augusta, where he won wire-to-wire last year and matched the 72-hole scoring record at 18 under.

Only three players, global mega-stars Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo, have ever won the Masters in consecutive years. But after Spieth opened with a 6-under 66 in the first round, Spieth had 'em coining potential phrases for T-shirts. Given that he led after every round in 2015, which included a 64 on Thursday, how about wire-to-wire-to-wire wins?

"I got the most that I could possibly get out of my round today," he said. "To be honest, I think that the round today, in my opinion, may have been better than the first round last year."

Unlike last year, when Spieth blazed his way into Augusta with a series of victories and near-misses, he had little momentum this year, prompting folks to vacate the bandwagon in droves. While oddsmakers had him listed behind only top favorite Jason Day, plenty of others in the industry were looking elsewhere.

In our pool - of 20 golf 'experts', we created an A pool. No one took Speith. :/

— John Kim (@johnkim)April 7, 2016

Spieth's most memorable shot came at the 11th, after he carved his tee shot into the controversial stand of pine trees placed there a few years back by former club chairman Hootie Johnson. Spieth threaded his approach through the trees and triumphantly yelped, "got it," as the ball rolled onto the edge of the green. Here's the shot he faced from an aerial view:

Spieth hits it into Hootie's pine forest down right side of No. 11, hits great recovery, says 'got it.' — Steve Elling (@EllingYelling)April 7, 2016

Spieth was feelin' it as he stood on the famous 13th tee and steered this perfect hook around the dogleg corner with some one-handed panache and a confident club twirl.

Double — No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp)April 7, 2016

Not exactly humming along as he entered the week on the heels of a so-so spring that cost him the No. 1 ranking, Spieth didn't have a bogey on the card despite wind that whipped through the pines at 30 mph at times. Suddenly, everybody fell back in love with the Texan's chances all over again.

"In fairly trying conditions, he hasn't made a bogey," former world No. 1 David Duval said. "I think that says as much as anything about how he's playing golf and managing himself going around the golf course. That means everything is working. To get around without a mistake, that means from tee to green he's in control of everything he wants."

For context, the 66 matched the Masters record for the best opening round by a defending champion. Jose Maria Olazabal also opened with a 66 in 1995. Playing partner Bryson DeChambeau said Spieth falls into a reverie of sorts at the world's most famous golf venue.

"We were walking up 18, [and he said] 'I don't know what it is about this place, I just love putting here. I can see the break, I can see the lines,'" DeChambeau said. "I was quite impressed with that."

It wasn't as cosmetically impressive as his runaway performance last year, at least in spots.

Spieth actually kissed his putter after he made a 15-footer to save par on the 16th, one of a handful of scrambling saves in what was clearly not the best ball-striking day of the year. But in total, it was a thing of beauty, said playing partner Paul Casey, who shot 69.

"I was impressed by everything," Casey said. "That was a flawless round of golf."

True fact: A day earlier, at the Masters Par-3 Contest, the gallery playfully booed Spieth after playing partners Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas each aced the same hole and Spieth failed to do likewise. It was nothing but cheers on Thursday, just like last year.

Spieth has played nine tournament rounds at Augusta National and led after six of them – including the last five in succession. The last defending champion to hold the outright lead the following year after 18 holes was some guy named Jack Nicklaus, exactly 50 years ago. Obviously, the 22-year-old is used to riding high at Augusta, emotionally and on the scoreboard.

Took Spieth just 8 holes to take the solo lead. His leaderboard position after each Masters round: 12-3-1-2-1-1-1-1 — The European Tour (@EuropeanTour)April 7, 2016

Dating to the start of the 2015 Masters, covering a span of 17 rounds, Spieth is 60-under in the majors.

Will it be the Rory story this year, finally?

Stuck in the last group of the day and playing before half-empty grandstands, Rory McIlroy's quest to complete the career Grand Slam got off to a quiet start. Arithmetically and audibly.

Finally, after knocking his approach on the par-5 13th to within 17 feet, McIlroy rolled in the eagle putt to jump into the top five as darkness began to fall. McIlroy bogeyed the 18th and shot a 2-under 70, leaving him in a tie for ninth and four behind Spieth.

He'll need many more putts to fall to have a chance on Sunday, said six-time champ Jack Nicklaus, a longtime friend from South Florida.

"It is a great golf course for him," Nicklaus said. "He hits the ball so long and he drives the ball pretty darn straight. Rory's thing with Augusta is he has got to make putts. If you don't make putts at Augusta you can't win, and Augusta has the most difficult set of greens that we have on the tour."

Day makes quick entrance and insanely fast exit

It took 20 minutes for Jason Day, the comprehensive pre-tournament favorite, to assert himself in the grand scheme of things. Teeing off three hours after Spieth, the swashbuckling Aussie hit a pair of bombs on the par-5 second hole, lacing his approach shot 257 yards to within 11 feet for eagle.

The hottest player in the game over the past six months, the reigning world No. 1 quickly converted to leap into the top five. Alas, it took roughly the same amount of time to give all back and then some.

Day had destroyed the par-5 holes, playing them in a cumulative 4 under, when he made a mess of the 15th, recording a bogey without hitting a ball in the water. He three-jacked from 35 feet, his second three-putt on the back nine. That wasn't the worst of it, either. Still tied for second, he drowned his tee shot on the 16th hole and finished with a 72, dropping four shots in four holes and falling six shots back after a 41 on the back nine.

"I got out of position the last four holes," he said. "It can happen to anyone. I'm not too disappointed. I felt like I played pretty well, for the most part. If I can play like I did early in the round over the next three days, I know I can catch up."

Jason Day: — Gary K. McCormick (@WillotheGlen)April 7, 2016

His wife felt compelled to salve the wound.

That wasn't fun so here is something cute to look at. — Ellie Day (@ellielaneday)April 7, 2016

Els bells, what happened to Ernie?

South Africans have claimed five Masters titles over the years, second only to the American contingent, but somehow, the course was never too kind to Ernie Els, a former world No. 1 who had all the tools to succeed at the famous venue. Els had some close calls, narrowly losing to Phil Mickelson in 2004 after finishing second in 2000. This week, he enjoyed the comparisons to Nicklaus, who won the title 30 years ago at age 46. Els turned 46 last fall. That dream died fast Thursday when Els came completely unglued on the first green, when he six-putted from point-blank range, or roughly three feet. The four-time major winner recorded a nine, then three-putted the second hole.

"I'm not sure where I go from here," he said. Well, it can't get worse, can it?

For those with weak stomachs, avert your eyes and send the kids to bed. Warning: Graphic Content.

INCREDIBLE!! — FOX Sports Asia (@FOXSportsAsia)April 7, 2016

Half the field at Augusta exhales and says, 'This blows'

With winds reportedly gusting at 30 mph in the mid-afternoon, the weather reared its head and became a major player at the first major championship of the year. At most events, the first round is as much about positioning as anything. But at the Masters, the field separates far more quickly, the data says. Any player outside the top 10 after the first day is going to have a hard time making up the ground. "It's very important to get off to a good start," Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee said. "Going back almost 20 years, the winner after the first round was [on average], eighth, after the second round was third, and after the third round was better than second. Very early on, this golf course defines who is going to win this major championship, and it is a small group of men."

The weather gave those teeing off on Thursday morning an advantage. "There are not a lot of big comebacks here," Golf Channel analyst Notah Begay said. "Best players in the world start out six feet tall and finish 10 feet tall here."

A few daunting facts: The worst position of any of the past six winners, after day one, was 10th place. Each of the past 10 winners were within four shots of the lead, inside the top 10 and under par after Thursday's round. As broadcasters love to chant, the Masters famously begins on the back nine on Sunday. More like the front nine on Thursday, especially when sloppy weather is in the mix.

The last 10 — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC)April 7, 2016

Masters mojo falters for frustrated Lefty after strong spring

Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson, clearly the sentimental favorite this week at age 45 following two winless seasons, bogeyed the 18th to finish with a 72. Revitalized this spring with one of his best starts in years, Mickelson was unable to convert goosebumps into birdies. He birdied Nos. 16 and 17, but gave one back on the final hole, leaving him in danger of losing touch with the leaders. "I didn't capitalize on the greens the way I felt I should," he said. "It's not a bad start, it's not a great start. It's kind of a decent start that doesn't help or hurt."

That remains to be determined, but there's no doubt that Mickelson has a quarter-century-sized career portfolio to make some noise over the final 54 holes. He finished second last year to Spieth.

— KPMG Mickelson (@MickelsonHat)April 6, 2016

Father Time reminds fans that, ultimately, there's only one winner

It's perhaps the best opening salvo in professional sports, the equivalent of, "Gentlemen, start your engines." Golf's so-called Big Three convene on the first tee shortly after the gates open at Augusta National, and engage in the ceremonial first tee shot before the first round. This time, however, Arnold Palmer sat in a chair in the tee box and watched longtime rivals and fellow Masters champs Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus handle the task by themselves. In a way, it's become akin to watching your parents grow old. Palmer, not in the best of health at age 86 and looking decidedly frail, was reportedly helped from the tee box afterward by Nicklaus, who was on one elbow, while longtime Palmer aide Cori Britt also assisted.

Those lucky enough to get close to the tee box — where the gallery was 10 deep — said Nicklaus had tears in his eyes. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month, the typically chatty Palmer skipped his traditional pre-tournament media session for the first time. It was yet another harsh reminder that, unlike any star player or team dynasty, Father Time remains undefeated. The Hall of Fame trio combined to win the Masters 13 times. "Arnold's balance is not good," Nicklaus said. "But I think he was delighted to be out there and we were delighted to have him there. I think both Gary and I felt it was more about Arnold than anything else, and I think that was just fine." Said a subdued Player, 80: "It was gratifying, and sad. Everything shall pass." Gulp.

Watch the Honorary Starters hit their tee shots to open — Masters Tournament (@TheMasters)April 7, 2016

History says sayonara, Rickie Fowler

World No. 5 Rickie Fowler, who two years ago finished in the top five at all four majors, began with a bang on Thursday. And by bang, we mean finding the trees, not once, but twice. Fowler, one of the favorites to win this week in the eyes of nearly everybody, made a double bogey on the first hole, spraying it into the trees lining both sides of the par-4 hole. He staged a memorable comeback, however, with birdies on three of the next four holes. The first hole schematic:

How NOT to play the first hole, by Rickie Fowler. Doubled it. — Steve Elling (@EllingYelling)April 7, 2016

No player over the past three decades has posted a double-bogey on the first hole and gone on to win at Augusta. Fowler all but confirmed that stat when he made an eight on the easy 13th. He finished with an 80, his second-worst score in a major. His arithmetic, geometric nastiness on No. 13:

Oh, Rickie. — Steve Elling (@EllingYelling)April 7, 2016

The best event in sports that you (still) cannot watch

The Masters this week debuted some expanded online coverage, introducing a so-called high-resolution "4K broadcast" of Nos. 12-14, or Amen Corner. It was a step forward to fans who have been pleading, to no avail, for the event to broaden its coverage to something akin to the U.S. or British Opens, which enjoy all-day television saturation. The Masters will only air 19 hours of live coverage on ESPN and CBS, the two network carriers in the U.S., this week, but will have additional coverage online.

Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, who generally discloses club details with a teaspoon, said: "Different technology are emerging so quickly, we are fortunate to have the resources and the partners which allow us to be one of the first ones to see if it's any good, and if it's not, then we can afford for the investment not to have paid off." The club ditched a 3D foray a few years back rather quickly. "It did not develop as quickly as we thought," Payne said. "We are always willing to experiment, because we don't claim to be smarter than the people who want to watch and enjoy our tournament. So however they want to do it, we're going to be there." Yeah, except on traditional network TV.

Much talk at Masters this week of Augusta's 'spirit of innovation'. Must be why they insist on no live golf for seven hours.

— Oliver Brown (@oliverbrown_tel)April 7, 2016

How the other half lives

There's a centuries-old oak tree behind the clubhouse at Augusta National that serves as the unofficial nerve center of the sport each spring. Officials, luminaries and celebrities from around the world hang out there (humble braggin': Bumped into Jim Caviezel and Roger Goodell there on the same day). But occasionally, LPGA players such as Annika Sorenstam turn up to mingle and watch their counterparts on the major-championship stage. The winner of last week's season-opening LPGA major, world No. 1 Lydia Ko, turned up this week and caddied for PGA Tour regular and fellow Korean native Kevin Na in the Masters Par-3 Contest on Wednesday, and seems legitimately star-struck by her surroundings. She has every right — she's only 18. She's posed for photos with seemingly, well, everybody — Jack Nicklaus, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter and Adam Scott, for instance.

World No. 1 Lydia Ko seemingly took photos with everyone in the field yesterday: — Golf Digest (@GolfDigest)April 7, 2016

If this is Augusta, this must be amateur hour

One of the notable things about the Masters field is the number of amateurs exempted into the elite, exclusive event by tournament officials, who greenlight winners from events including the U.S. Amateur, as well as nonprofessional events run by the club in Latin America and Asia. Plenty have fainted under the microscope. But nobody was having more fun Thursday than NCAA individual champion Bryson DeChambeau, a former SMU star who plans to turn pro next week. Playing alongside Paul Casey and Spieth, who were atop the board for much of the day, DeChambeau was hardly a drag on the threesome, finishing with a 72. In his biggest event to date, the promising Californian, also the reigning U.S. Amateur champ, has hardly proven to be a shrinking violet (or maybe that's an azalea?), either. Here he is, mugging for cameras on the back nine. He was T9 before making a messy bogey on the easy 15th.

.— Brentley Romine (@GolfweekBRomine)April 7, 2016

On a lighter note

Anybody who follows golf on Twitter in April gets a bit sick of the ceaseless barrage of public-relations propaganda from Nike, Oakley and other clothing manufacturers about the apparel their paid endorsers will be wearing this week at Augusta National. PGA Tour veteran Tim Herron, a decidedly roundish guy with the nickname "Lumpy," isn't playing this week, but he elected to update the fans on his attire plans this week, too. Bless him. Sometimes, this Masters business is taken far too seriously, and so is the business of the Masters.

Tim Herron's Masters scripting might be the funniest thing you see today: — Golf Digest (@GolfDigest)April 1, 2016

Then there's this one from Web.com Tour player Aron Price:

This is what I will be wearing each day for — Aron Price (@aronpricePGA)April 6, 2016