Spieth opens with good round

Jordan Spieth played like he had a Grand Slam to win. Dustin Johnson played like he had a score to settle.The two main characters from Chambers Bay brought their games across eight time zones and an ocean on Thursday and set the tone at St. Andrews for what could be another riveting battle at the British Open.

Spieth quickly seized on his opportunity for a third straight major with six birdies in his first 11 holes, fought through a chilly wind on the inward nine and closed with a birdie for a 5-under 67 that put him two shots out of the lead.Johnson, whose three-putt from 12 feet on the final hole cost him a shot at the US Open, looked as daunting as ever. He simply overpowered the Old Course with such force that he hit wedge into 10 of the par 4s and had an eagle putt on another. With a pair of big par saves on the tough closing holes, he played bogey-free for a 65 and for at least a day made good on a warning he made earlier in the week.

Asked about Spieth’s chances to sweep the four majors, Johnson said, “Well, I’m playing the next two so we’ll have to see.”This was hardly a two-man show.

The six players who were one shot behind at 66 included former British Open champion Paul lawrie and two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen. Jason Day, coming off his scary bout with vertigo symptoms at the US Open, was back on his feet and back in the hunt. Most impressive from that group were Zach Johnson and Danny Willett, who posted their scores as the temperature dropped and wind stiffened.

Spieth was joined at 67 by louis Oosthuizen, the last Open champion at St. Andrews.The real test might come from the weather. Spieth and Johnson got a break by playing in the morning when St. Andrews was ripe for scoring — 10 of the top 12 scores came from that side of the draw. That didn’t help Tiger Woods, who hit into the Swilcan Burn on the opening hole, made only one birdie and shot 76.

“Guys have been shooting good numbers,” said Woods, a two-time Open champion at St. Andrews. “Unfortunately I did not do that.” Instead, he was headed for a missed cut for the third time in his last four majors.The afternoon wave suffered in chill and wind so strong that Phil Mickelson hit driver and 3-wood and didn’t reach the 465-yard 13th hole. He said he had to hit 5-iron for his third shot on the par-5 14th. Johnson was pin-high with a 3-wood in the morning. Mickelson made only one bogey on the back nine and shot 70. He called the conditions “fun,” though his smile might not last if the morning group doesn’t face the same conditions.“We were at a significant disadvantage today,” Mickelson said. “And hopefully, if we’re able to play an entire day tomorrow, it will even itself out.”