Rory McIlroy

Scenes from the 79th Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club

Scenes from the 79th Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jordan Spieth had everything go his way Thursday in the Masters, so he should have known how the shot would turn out without even asking.

In the lead and in the trees, he slashed a 7-iron toward the green and started barking instructions at the golf ball until he saw it bound onto the 14th green. He never saw it smack into the pin and settle a few feet away. He only heard one of the loudest cheers of the afternoon.

“What happened?” Spieth said to his caddie.

Something special.

With six birdies in a seven-hole stretch, Spieth flirted with a major championship record he didn’t know existed and atoned for his lone mistake with one last birdie putt for an 8-under 64. It was the best opening round at Augusta National in 19 years, gave him a three-shot lead and stole plenty of buzz from the Grand Slam bid of Rory McIlroy and the return of Tiger Woods.
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