Could anyone live with Spieth? World No 1 Jason Day was clearly not deterred, blitzing the front nine to reach the turn in just 31 shots, before bogeying the 10th.

McIlroy, watched by Ferguson, was also in red figures, picking up a stroke at the seventh to move to one under.Irishman Shane Lowry, who has done little of note this year, fairly exploded into action with four successive birdies from the second and had moved to five under after eight. Masters magic. There really is nothing in golf like it.