Spieth sets blistering pace as battle rages on day one

They've probably had to chop up a fair few Eisenhower Trees to keep the supply of paper going to feed the golf writing frenzy that's been generated by Rory McIlroy's assault on the career grand slam and Tiger Woods's latest comeback but Jordan Spieth made sure he was at the top of the tree. While McIlroy opened with a 71 and Woods carded a one-over 73, Spieth's sizzling eight-under 64 on a hot day in Georgia was a resounding signal of intent as he propelled himself into a three stroke lead over Charley Hoffman, Justin Rose, Ernie Els and Jason Day. As one great Texan, Ben Crenshaw, trudged in with a 91 on the 20th anniversary of his second Masters win, another showed that nipping round Augusta is kids' stuff. At 21, Spieth may not have the experience of age but he has the experience of finishing second on his Masters debut last year. Yesterday's rip-roaring round made him the youngest first round leader in Masters history - he pinched that one from McIlroy - and he was just one shot shy of equalling the lowest ever round in major history. With a win and two second place finishes in his last three events, Spieth's form has been as explosive as the barrage of birdies he produced yesterday. Even when he hit a bad shot, the golfing gods looked down kindly on him. His tee-shot on 13 clattered off a tree and bounced back into the fairway.

"I was excited by the way I played but I got a few breaks," admitted Spieth, who made six birdies in seven holes from the eighth but saw his charge on the record books halted by a leaked shot on the 15th. "I've never shot 10-under in a professional round and to do it here would have been special. Eight-under is not so bad." Spieth is not getting carried away by the hype. "I don't believe in destiny, there are still 54-holes to play," he added.

Rose, no stranger to being in the upper echelons of the field on day one of the Masters having led three times after the first 18, manoeuvred neatly around Augusta's abundant perils and posted a 67. The former US Open champion two years ago, has not finished higher than 37th on the PGA Tour this season but he showed a welcome return to form amid the azaleas and the dogwoods. Before you could say 'here comes another cliche', Rose was blooming again. A telling burst of birdies at the third, the fifth and the sixth aided the cause but, in the midst of that drive, there was an equally important save on the par-three fourth. Plonked in the front right bunker with the pin at the back left, he managed to salvage his three. "That really settled everything down and I felt I could play a good round of golf from there." He certainly did that. So too did Hoffman.

Out in a two-ball and first off in the early morning, Hoffman had some pretty big footsteps to follow in. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player had got it all underway with the traditional thrashes down the first. While they were doing that, Hoffman was trying to compose himself again. "I actually got Jack and Arnie's autographs on the putting green before it started," said the wide-eyed 38-year-old. "I was sort of scared. Should I ask them, should I not ask them? My mind wasn't really on the golf."

Hoffman, a three time winner on the PGA Tour, quickly got his star-struck self back into the moment and birdied three of first five holes during a purposeful early thrust and he would burnish his card with a fine approach to 12-feet on the 15th that led to an eagle. With his green hat, green shirt and green glove, Hoffman was greener than a Friends of the Earth convention. A Green Jacket would probably suit him nicely.

Els has been close to slipping himself into that prized piece of clothing having been runner-up in both 2000 and 2004 and the South African was never out of the top-six in those years. That final close shave, when he was pipped to the title by Phil Mickelson's 72nd hole birdie, had a lingering impact on Els and he has not had a top-10 here in the decade or so that has passed. The Big Easy made it look easy yesterday though and, despite three-putting the last, a haul of five birdies and an eagle put a smile on his face. "There's not been much sign from me recently so this was special," said the double Open champion. "I have wanted this one for years and I think there was a hangover from that (in 2004). There was something going on."

Day, the Australian who was second in the Masters in 2011 and third in 2013, birdied five holes in a row from the 12th in his 67 while McIlroy was more than content with a 71, the same score as golden oldie, Tom Watson. He may not have the vast experience of wily Watson but the 25-year-old McIlroy is getting to grips with this teasing, tormenting stretch of golfing terrain. He was almost punished severely early on with a hooked drive into a creek on the second but, after taking a penalty drop, he salvaged a par. It was one of those days. "It would be fair to say that today was one of those rounds that could have easily turned into a 77 but given my experience now I managed to get it round in 71," said McIlroy, after getting his seventh and perhaps most significant Masters underway.