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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: First retail pot sales won't be a big change ... A man's love for trees ... Grant will build life jacket loaner stations ... Our View: First retail pot sales won't be a big change ... A man's love for trees ... Grant will build life jacket loaner stations ... Ken Willis: Tiger makes strides, but Spieth makes the headlines at Masters AUGUSTA, Ga. — We've seen it here before. Comment By Ken Willis, More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ken Willis, More Content Now Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 6:59 PM By Ken Willis, More Content Now Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 6:59 PM » Social News AUGUSTA, Ga. — We've seen it here before. The amazing putting touch. Strong iron play. Nice recovery shots. A couple of timely breaks when things went awry. Dramatic finish. Generally speaking, the best golf — or certainly as good — as any you've seen at Augusta National. Except this time, in what might someday be looked back upon as the start of golf's new era, Jordan Spieth was soaking up the spotlight as Tiger Woods was working as hard — and about as happily — as a brick layer. In a Masters opening round Thursday with softened conditions erasing so much of the danger, low numbers were possible and low numbers were taken. Not by Tiger, however, but frankly that mid-pack score of 1-over par 73 also came with some real positives for Team Tiger (a team that includes the networks, PGA Tour and, yes, the industry as a whole). Tiger finishing with 73 is a positive because, for starters, he finished. He didn't clutch his back, didn't flex a troubled knee — said nothing afterward about deactivated glutes. The other and most obvious positive: No flinches around the greens, no yips, nothing suggesting you should put a parental block on the channel or maybe hide your own eyes. Tiger's most obvious edge-of-the-seat moment came at the par-4 11th, where one of his several “indifferent” iron shots finished way right of the green, not far from Larry Mize territory. Tiger faced a pitch shot back-stopped by Rae's Creek. He stuck it close, made par, and in a sign the “mayoral candidate” we saw Monday through Wednesday has retired from the campaign, he suggested afterward, yes, of course he hit a great little pitch. “That's the strength of my game; that's the way it should be,” he said. Assuming he's right, it's now time to get back to his pre-yip issues: Finding fairways and greens. Meanwhile, Spieth. With all the non-Tiger focus on Rory McIlroy and his opportunity to win a third consecutive major and complete the career grand slam, Spieth reminded us — in not-so-subtle fashion — no one is playing better right now. At 21 and with a growing portfolio, he might be the golfer who derails the budding Rory McIlroy Era before its roots thicken. Spieth doesn't overpower a golf course the way Tiger did when he took over the game. But like the 21-year-old Tiger, the 21-year-old Spieth has a competitive maturity far beyond his years. Yes, as Peter Jacobsen once told us here, the gutters of Chicago are full of first-round leaders. Yes, 54 holes remain. However, Spieth's round added to the belief he isn't gutter-bound. He showed everyone why his stock is so high. In another way, Tiger showed us why an entire chapter of golf history belongs to him. Many of Tiger's best days were those when he didn't have his best stuff yet managed to tread water. His otherworldly talent always overshadowed the fact he's one of the all-time grinders. He showed that again. At his best, he'd follow that grinding with something amazing the next day. We'll see. If not, it won't be for lack of effort. As darkness began casting shade on the acres upon acres of green Thursday evening, Tiger was on the range, banging balls. If he's indeed going, he isn't going without a fight. If Spieth indeed is rushing into the American sporting conscience, Masters week and Augusta National is the time and place to make that happen. That, too, is something we've seen here before. Reach Ken Willis at ken.willis @news-jrnl.com. Twitter: @HeyWillieNJ. By Ken Willis, More Content Now MailTribune.com By Ken Willis, More Content Now Posted Apr. 9, 2015 at 6:59 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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