Rory McIlroy happy to play it cool

Jordan Spieth birdied the last at Augusta National to post a superb opening-round 64 at the Masters and throw down the gauntlet to Rory McIlroy and the rest of the field.

On an absorbing day of excellent golf at the first major of the season, 21-year-old Spieth, a rookie runner-up to Bubba Watson 12 months ago, took the 2015 Masters by the scruff of the neck to put three shots between himself and the field and leave world number one McIlroy seven adrift, after the Irishman opened with a less than spectacular 71 in his pursuit of the title that would give him a career slam of majors.