AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – Defending champ Jordan Spieth (SPEETH) picked up where he left off last year with a 6-under-66 for the lead after the first round of the Masters. That puts him in the top spot at Augusta National for the fifth straight round after his wire-to-wire win last year. The bogey-free round left Spieth with a two-shot lead over New Zealand’s Danny Lee and Ireland’s Shane Lowry. Paul Casey, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia are among those at 69s. Former Masters winners Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson opened with even par-72’s, while 66-year old two-time winner Tom Watson posted a 74 in his final Masters. Things got off to a horrendous start for two-time runner-up Ernie Els. The South African shot a 5-over-par 9 on the opening hole, the worst score ever on that hole in the tournament. Els six-putted from two feet. It was initially reported that Els took a 10 on the hole, but officials at Augusta National corrected it later in the day.
