When Golfing giants from across the globe descended at the Augusta to showcase their might at the most coveted Masters tournament on Thursday, no one probably expected that the first day would turn out to be an action-packed one. While Jordan Spieth’s pursuit for a second green jacket kicked off to a flying start, Sergio Garcia garnered brickbats and headlines with his record octuple-bogey 13 on Augusta National's 15th hole.

 

 

Sensational Spieth reigns supreme

 

 

 

 

He saw, he came, he conquered! There’s a nothing a better way to describe Jordan Spieth’s performance on the first day at the Augusta. The 24-year-old Texan birdied five straight holes on the back side to finish with a 6-under 66, giving him a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Masters.

 

 

Spieth made eagle at the par-5 eighth hole, but things really got rolling at the 13th. That's where he began the stretch of five straight birdies, which suddenly made him the man to beat.

 

He took a two-shot lead over Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar. Interestingly, this is Spieth's fifth Masters. He won in 2015 and finished in a tie for second two other times.

 

 

 

Defending champion Sergio Garcia sets worst record!

 

 

 

 

Sergio Garcia made the worst score at the 15th hole in the history of the Masters, taking an 8-over-par 13 on Thursday that included five balls in the water that fronts the green.

 

 

The defending Masters champion shot 81, mostly due to his misfortune at the hole that was the site of his heroics a year ago, an eagle 3 on the final day that helped him get into a sudden-death playoff that he won over Justin Rose.

 

 

Tiger Woods shoots 1-over 73 in first Masters round in three years

 

 

Given the enormous hype surrounding him and the solid golf he has been playing coming into the Masters, Woods' opening 73 on Thursday came off a bit flat.

 

Woods, 42, made only three birdies, failed to birdie any of the par-5s and shot his first over-par score on the PGA Tour since February's Genesis Open. He finished the day tied for 29th, seven shots back of leader Jordan Spieth.

 

He managed to find the positives.

 

"I played in a major championship again, but I got myself back in this tournament and I could have easily let it slip away," Woods said. "And I fought hard to get it back there, and I'm back in this championship. There's a lot of holes to be played.”

 

 

India’s Shubhankar Sharma tied for 73rd

 

 

 

 

India’s Shubhankar Sharma, in his Masters debut, hit a 77 to be tied 73rd after the opening day. Earlier, three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson praised Sharma for his talent by comparing him to Tiger Woods.

 

“Given the way he played in Mexico and his talent level, I’m excited that he has the opportunity to play here and compete at the Masters,” said Mickelson.

 

“It will create more awareness in his home country for the game of golf. I think the growth potential in India is enormous, and what he’s doing to help grow that game could very well be similar to what Tiger has done to grow golf in the US and world,” he added.