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Spieth takes lead, Garcia sinks & Woods over-par

April 05, 2018Jordan Spieth has taken the Masters lead with five straight birdies beginning at the 13th with only 10 putts on the back 9 on the way to a 6-under 66. A career-best in the majors for Spieth. He could have moved further ahead but a wild tee shot into the tress on No.18 ended with a bogey.

Spieth has had the lead in 8 of his last 13 rounds at the Masters. He has played 17 rounds in his Masters career and this was the sixth time he's shot in the 60s.

"I think this golf course is a lot easier to play if you feel like you can just hit the center of the greens and move from there and wait for your chances," said Spieth. "If you get off to a good start, you're in control of your own fate, versus needing a little bit of help."

Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar are two strokes behind after shooting 68s. McIlroy posted his second-best score in the opening round in 10 Masters appearances after opening with a 65 in 2011 when he finished with a final-round 80. McIlroy needs only a victory at Augusta National to become just the sixth players to complete the career Grand Slam.

'This is my best start in a few years" McIlroy said. "It's such a hard golf course to play catch up on. If you start to chase it around here, that's when you start to make mistakes. But to be right up there and have the ability to stay patient, because of the position I'm in, that's a nice luxury I have over the next few days.''

2017 champion Sergio Garcia matched the worst one-hole score in Masters history with a 13 on the par-5 15th where five balls went straight into the water.

"I don't know what to tell you. It's one of those things," Garcia said. "It's the first time in my career where I make a 13 without missing a shot. Simple as that."

"I felt like I hit a lot of good shots and unfortunately the ball just didn't want to stop. So it's just unfortunate, but that's what it is."

Tiger Woods, back at the Masters for the first time since 2015, shot a 73, seven shots off the lead.

"It has been awesome this entire comeback," said Woods, 42. "I got a standing ovation on the range. Coming up to the first tee, the people come out of the clubhouse and the putting green. They're really into it."

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