Punch for punch, this gang of chasers try to have a go at Jordan Spieth, counter-punch for counter-punch he comes back at them.

He drops his guard a little on a par-five though, letting the club go after a swing. Now now Jordan, that's what us hackers do. You're an artist not a club golfer. He will have a decent wedge into the green to try to set up birdie from there.

Rory McIlroy on the 14th - Chinese Fir the name of this one and that ball is on its way to China alright. A crushed 325 yards and a good position to attack again.

Sergio Garcia on 16, that picturesque shot over the water... it's a good, solid tee shot into the heart of the green. Jason Day is nearing the end on 18 and has a chip from off the dancefloor... IT'S IN.... no. Inches from birdie, leaves a few feet for par.

Craig Mills: Spieth must've been artificially created in a secret lab in Dallas to usher in the golfing apocalypse. Who can compete with him?

That majestic Jordan Spieth drive yielded little but a par on seven. A really rusty second shot did for birdie hopes.

Still he holds a four-shot lead from Danny Lee, with Piercy, Garcia and Rose and Kjeldsen also on two under. 

Phil Mickelson and Danny Willett are both one under and will hold some hope. A shot or two more into the good numbers and they'll be in the thick of it.

Around eight feet stands between Rory McIlroy and red numbers. This 13th is an all-out-attack hole as it's par five. Over it he stands... nice work Rozza. Rattles into the cup.

-6: Spieth (After 6 holes)

-2: Lee (18), Piercy (16), Kjeldsen (16), Garcia (14),  Rose (3). 

Selected others:-1: Lowry (13), Casey (6), Mickelson (4),Willett (14) Par: McIlroy (12), Day (17) Stenson (4) +3 Poulter (18) Westwood (9)

Follow these links for tee-off times and a full leaderboard, external.

Image source, Getty Images

"He's back in business", says a colleague in reference to Jordan Spieth.

Too right he is - a 362-yard drive on the seventh sets up an 83-yard wedge next. Wow. 

How far? 362 yards. Is that about as far as Andy Dufresne crawled to escape prison in Shawshank Redemption?

A 510-yard par five and Rory McIlroy clears the green. There's some beef in those arms alright. He's in decent shape and can chip this close to set up birdie.

Somebody please grasp this opportunity!

Justin Rose, you have a go, 15ft for birdie on three...wide. Tap-in par...no. Bogey... yes. 

Paul Casey, long putt on six for birdie...nope. Par...nope. Bogey... yes.

Everywhere you look, golfers are dazed and confused.

We have 89 men in the field, barely any are under par for their round today and just two are sat in the clubhouse in red numbers. Augusta is winning this arm wrestle.

Image source, .

Cheers Jonathan. Enjoy your dinner.

You join me with Rory McIlroy in prime place on the 13th fairway, a par five. He lampoons his ball 285 yards and can attack birdie, maybe even eagle here.

As for Jordan Spieth, he will have to make a putt of 15ft or more on six for par. Jordan Spieth is IN TROUBLE. Don't you dare doubt him, he downs it. Have some of that Augusta. 

A big putt, just as the wheels threatened to come off.

Will Spieth flunk another shot (or worse) again on six? Will Spieth give anymore hope to the chasing pack in the next couple of hours? Luke Reddy is back to talk you through it...

Too much club! Or too much energy-boosting snacking earlier. Jordan Spieth goes long over the back of the green on the par-three sixth. Juniper has proved tricky today - there have been six double bogeys, after none yesterday. Hmmm...

Ian Funnell: Jordan Spieth is human after all. Still well clear but human.

Justin Rose stretches his legs and sprints to the front of the pack hurtling after Spieth. The Englishman brushes off that opening bogey with a birdie on the next, joining Scott Piercy (the only man in the top 10 to be under par today) on three under.

Danny Lee drops a pace back from those two, a pair of bogeys closing his round for a 74.

Rory is on 12 - Golden Bell - and it's a rock solid tee shot to the heart of the green, taking the water out of play. Some great height on that ball and it drops around 20ft from the yellow stick.

Elsewhere Danny Willett has seven pars in a row as he gets ready for 14.

Image source, AFP/GETTY

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent at Augusta National

"Spieth just got the wrong side of the green and as a consequence had a very tricky first putt."

Image source, Getty Images

JORDAN SPIETH IS HUMAN! Is that the sound of hope flickering back into life in the minds of Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, etc?

Now then! Here's a sentence that no golf reporter thought they'd write this week...Jordan Spieth has double-bogeyed!

The leader discovers his inner Ernie Els, three putting from seven feet on the tricky fifth green. That's the two shots that he picked up earlier today wiped out.

He's back to six under, three ahead of the chasing pack. That's also good news for those aiming to make the cut....

Sergio, Sergio, Sergio. 

The Spaniard was right in there on the ninth hole and carded double bogey. Rather than get things together he has again wilted on 13, finding the drink and it's bogey.