Golf-Dark Day after a bright start at the Masters

By Steve Keating AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 7 (Reuters) - World number one Jason Day made a big splash during the opening round of the Masters on Thursday but not the kind he wanted, finding the pond at the 16th to pour cold water on one of the hot rounds of the day. A winner in his last two starts, the Australian carried his sizzling form into the Masters and looked poised to knock his American rival Jordan Spieth off the top of the leaderboard after carding three birdies and an eagle before the turn. But Day lost his way during a nightmare back nine that included three bogeys and a triple bogey as he carded an even-par 72 that sent him tumbling down the leaderboard, six shots behind the pacesetting Spieth. "Just got to keep pushing forward," said the 28-year-old Day. "I'm not too frustrated with how everything went. "It's not the way I planned it out but I felt like I played some really good golf up until then. "Obviously if you get yourself out of position here at this course, it's very difficult to salvage par and unfortunately starting at 15 I got myself out of position pretty good." After dropping a shot at the 15th, Day watched as his tailspin turn into a nose dive when he dumped his tee shot into water at the par-three 16th, then three-putted for a triple bogey. Further trouble followed the Australian onto the 17th where he dropped yet another shot. "Sixteen is a very difficult hole and you don't want to miss the green right or miss it up at the top there right," explained Day. "I hit a good shot, good swing, I just pulled it a little and it went in the water. "To be honest, I played great golf." Day has long been tipped as a future Masters champion after a runner-up finish on his Augusta debut in 2011 and a third placing two years later. Those sky-high expectations soared even higher last year after an opening round of 67 left him in second place behind Spieth. Even though the Australian has not yet been able to close the deal at Augusta, he arrived this week as a heavy favourite following his first major win at last year's PGA Championship and having dislodged Spieth from top spot in the world rankings. "I've got to understand that the next two days are going to be very difficult with the wind conditions," said Day. "I've just got to slowly try to inch my way back into this tournament if I can, and be patient with myself and hopefully I'm there by Sunday. "But it's a major championship. Things happen and unfortunately it happened at the wrong time today." (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)