Spieth has 71 at Australian Open, trails early leader by 5

Spieth said he was thrilled to be back at The Australian Club for the tournament’s 100th edition, where a final-round, course-record 63 carried him to an impressive six shot success a year ago.

The story Australian Open 2015: World No. 1 Jordan Spieth splutters during first round first appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald. “Given the conditions were tough, I still could have made the fairways, or taken less club to make sure I hit the fairway”.

Ogilvy, who started on the 10th, recovered nicely from a bogey on the 17th and a double-bogey on the par-5 18th, both times from unlucky bounces off trees.

Geoff Ogilvy, the 2010 champion who was playing in the same group as Spieth, was two strokes behind after a 68.

Jordan Spieth birdied his opening hole and bogeyed his last during an even-par 71 Thursday that saw the defending champion trail early leader Lincoln Tighe by five strokes on a blustery, hot day at the Australian Open. “You can use the same club and it can go 30 yards different in the air based on if you hold it up or if you ride it. When you bring hazards in, it makes it even more challenging”.

An old putter gave Ogilvy some new tricks on Thursday, with the former US Open victor rolling in seven birdies in a round that included two shots in the water and two shots ruined by tree branches lying in unfortunate spots. “The scrambling’s close, I had some really tough up-and-downs where I managed to save par…it certainly could have been worse today”, he said.

“(The) Hard part for me is finishing even when I was two under, but it is what it is”.

“I’ve been building it in my own my mind just knowing Jordan has come back to defend as the number one golfer in the world”, he said. “There’s no evidence that anyone else has walked on them”.

“It’s a shame about the last hole”.

“All was going nicely and then, in the space of three holes, you’ve got to not think that the wheels have fallen off”, Scott said, referring to double bogeys on the seventh and ninth holes. “Especially when it gets the southerly (winds) this afternoon”.

Now he is seeking to become the first overseas player in almost 40 years to lift the trophy twice in a row after Nicklaus completed his double in 1976.

England’s Lee Westwood was marginally better off than Spieth, on one under par, with Australian Adam Scott matching Spieth’s 71, Darren Clarke posting a four-over 75 and Peter Senior recording a nine-over 80.