Defending champ Jordan Spieth leads by 2 after first round of Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Young love runs hot.

When Jordan Spieth strode Thursday to the 12th tee, the guts of Amen Corner, he was reviewing what had just happened on treacherous 11th: a risky, 218-yard approach shot and a 10-foot par save, typical of Spieth's opening-round brilliance.

Suddenly, he found himself awash in adoration. Thousands of fans gave him a standing ovation. He tipped his cap once, twice, three times, and then he blushed a little bit.

"It was one of the coolest moments I've ever had here," Spieth acknowledged. "Just to kind of see everyone start to rise, it was really, really cool to kind of feel like you belong as the Masters champion. Not that I needed any more reason, but just the gallery recognizes that you have won here, and that this is a special place to you. That's kind of what it felt like to me. It was an awesome moment."

Spieth and Augusta National haven't known each other long, but their love affair is torrid.

He's leading, at 6-under-par, two better than Danny Lee, of New Zealand, and Shane Lowry, of Ireland.

Spieth won the Masters last year at 18-under, tying Tiger Woods' record. He nearly won in 2014, his first appearance. How does he do it?

On a course that penalizes most players for every error, Spieth shrugs off missed greens and wild tee shots as if he's playing a $25 muni back in Dallas.

Spieth saved par on Nos. 1, 4, 11, 12, 14 and 16, made easy pars everywhere else, except the six holes he birdied. He never bogeyed. He's never finished any of his nine rounds at the Masters over par, leaving his competition awed at his level of comfort, no matter what the conditions. Shifting winds gusted to 30 mph. Spieth had cracked the face of his No. 1 driver Wednesday, which required a quick fitting for a backup. His group also was put on the clock for slow play on No. 17.

"I would have signed for 2-under today and not even played the round, knowing the conditions," Spieth said.

He said his play Thursday was at least as good as his 8-under opening round last year. The unwise, 218-yard approach out of the trees on 11 was "one of the best shots I've ever hit in tournament competition."

Spieth's crispest approach shot of the day came on No. 18, when he left himself about six feet under the hole. U.S. Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau then knocked one close, too.

"Nice shot," Spieth said as they walked up the fairway.

"Thanks," DeChambeau said, "but it's no 'Jordan Spieth.' "

"Yeah," Spieth replied. "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 finished at even-par, a remarkable maiden round, Spieth said. Paul Casey rounded out the threesome and played beautifully as well, a 3-under effort that left him delighted to stand tied for fourth with four other golfers, at least within shouting distance after Spieth's masterful performance.

"It was absolutely flawless," Casey said. "One of the toughest days I've ever seen around Augusta National. I played a wonderful round of golf, but it was great to have a front-row seat to watch that."

Casey compared the experience of playing with Spieth to playing with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Spieth, 22, also won the U.S. Open last year. He was in contention at both the British Open and the PGA Championship. Affable and courteous, Spieth drew the largest gallery, and it moved with him. Spieth already has that sort of magnetism.

"It's the way he walks. It's the way he stands," Casey said. "The way he speaks, and the way he shakes your hand, and the way he deals with people, as well. It's wonderful."

It's the kind of confidence that impresses the most revered course in America. As such, Augusta National is a demanding mistress. She has a list of famous lovers that rivals Elizabeth Taylor.

Bobby Jones built her. Ben Hogan and Sam Snead validated her. Arnold Palmer and Gary Player gave her to the masses. She's the cherry on top of Jack Nicklaus' career. Sandy Lyle, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo made her an icon in Europe. Then Tiger came along and, beginning with his record performance in 1997, commanded her charms for almost a decade.

Mickelson wooed her three times.

Now, she holds a new heart.

Ernie Els, forced to give up his anchored putter this year, six-putted from inside three feet on the first hole and logged a quintuple-bogey 9, the worst score in the hole's history, by one stroke. Els, a two-time runner-up, finished 8-over, tied for 81st among the 90 entrants . . . Jason Day, the world's No. 1 golfer, reached 5-under through 14 holes but then bogeyed 15, triple-bogeyed 16 and bogeyed 17 to finish at even-par, tied for 21st . . . That's also where three-time champion Phil Mickelson sits . . . Rory McIlroy, seeking to complete the career Grand Slam, eagled No. 13 and birdied No. 15, but bogeyed 16 and 18 to finish at 2-under, tied for ninth . . . Two-time champion Tom Watson, 66, was 2-over and tied for 43rd . . . Rickie Fowler seems unlikely to win his first major this week. He turned at even-par, but shot 8-over on the back nine . . . Bubba Watson, the Masters champion in 2012 and 2014, was 1-under through 13 holes, but gave up five shots in four holes before finishing with a birdie. He's tied for 54th at 3-over.

@inkstainedretch