AUGUSTA, Ga. – Jordan Spieth atop the leaderboard might be the latest tradition at Augusta National.
One year later, he’s still the man to beat at the Masters.
Six tough par saves and six birdies sent Spieth to a 6-under 66 on Thursday and a two-shot lead in a strong wind that made Augusta National play tough for just about everyone except the defending champion.
Coming off his wire-to-wire victory last year, Spieth now has five straight rounds in the lead, and six out of the last seven when he was tied or leading. One more and he would match the longest streak since Arnold Palmer in 1960 and the opening two rounds of 1961.
And just like last year, now it’s time for the rest of the field to try to catch him.
They were dropping, which is why Spieth had the only bogey-free round on a day where the wind made that seem unlikely.
He had a two-shot lead over Danny Lee and Shane Lowry.
The battle among the modern “Big Three” and other top players expected to contend did not take shape.
Jason Day, the No. 1 player in the world and Masters favorite, was on the verge of catching Spieth until a mini-meltdown. He three-putted for bogey on the par-5 15th, pulled his tee shot into the water on the par-3 16th and made triple bogey, and then sailed the green on the 17th for another bogey. Just like that, the Australian was back to even par.
Right when Day was falling apart, McIlroy holed an 18-foot eagle putt on the 13th and looked to be on his way in his bid to win a green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam. He was within two shots of the lead until he three-putted the 16th for bogey and missed the 18th green to the right, was plugged in a bunker and dropped another shot for a 70. Even so, it was his best start since 2011.
Bubba Watson, a two-time champion, had a 41 on the back nine and shot 75. He wasn’t even low Watson – 66-year-old Tom Watson, in his last Masters, shot 74. Adam Scott, coming off two victories in Florida last month, opened with a 76.
Spieth simply picked up where he left off a year ago.