Spieth takes lead at Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Maybe this Masters will live up to the hype.

On a Thursday that broke chilly but eventually warmed up under plentiful sunshine, the first round of the 82nd Masters didn’t fail to deliver an eccentric bounty of storylines and an eclectic leaderboard.

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy put himself in position to complete the career Grand Slam with a 3under-par 69, a score matched by 2016 British Open champion Henrik Stenson as he celebrated his 42nd birthday.

Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson is close to becoming the oldest winner of the green jacket after a 70. Matt Kuchar shot 68 as he tries to win his first major and Tony Finau, who dislocated his ankle Wednesday after making a hole-in-one in the Par-3 Contest, shot 68 in his first Masters.

And an all too familiar narrative emerged late in the day – Jordan Spieth is atop the famous white scoreboards again. The 2015 Masters champion, who also has finished runner-up twice, made five consecutive birdies on the back nine and finished with a 66 to grab a two-stroke lead.

“It’s round one. I know as well as anyone that anything can happen around this place,” said Spieth, referring to his infamous collapse in the final round in 2016, where he squandered a 5-shot lead with nine holes to play.

All of that plus the biggest story heading into one of the most anticipated Masters in years – Tiger Woods made his ballyhooed return after missing the past two Masters with back injuries. The four-time Masters champion signed for a so-so 73 after he dunked his tee shot on the 12th in Rae’s Creek, squandered good chances for birdies early in the round and rebounded with birdies on 14 and 16.