Golf-Spieth stays one ahead with opening par at the Masters

(Repeats to change story keyword used by media customers) AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 10 (Reuters) - Jordan Spieth, bidding for a second consecutive wire-to-wire victory at the Masters, parred the opening hole in Sunday's final round to preserve his overnight one-shot lead. The 22-year-old Texan, aiming to become only the fourth player to claim back-to-back Green Jackets, two-putted from long range to remain at three-under in the first of the year's four major championships. Spieth's playing competitor, PGA Tour rookie Smylie Kaufman, squandered a golden opportunity to move into a tie for the lead when he lipped out with a birdie putt from four feet. A tap-in for par left Kaufman alone in second place, with Dane Soren Kjeldsen among five players at even par. Kjeldsen, four strokes off the place overnight, sparked loud roars among the Georgian pines when he drained a 30-foot birdie putt at the par-four third before raising his putter in celebration. The 80th Masters was poised for a pulsating finish with an abundance of compelling possible storylines going into the final round. Spieth, a twice major winner, is aiming to join Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only men to claim consecutive Masters titles. Twice former champion Bernhard Langer of Germany, at 58, trailed Spieth by two overnight in his bid to become the oldest player ever to win a major championship, but bogeyed the opening hole when his approach ran through the back of the green. American Julius Boros was a full decade younger than Langer when he won the 1968 PGA Championship at age 48. Hideki Matsuyama, a 24-year-old playing in his fifth Masters, was also two shots off the pace overnight as he strives to give Japan its first major winner but he also bogeyed the par-four first after failing to reach the green in two. The early starters in the final round were greeted by the coldest temperatures of the week but the calmest conditions and French amateur Romain Langasque took full advantage as he signed with a four-under-par 68. "I just played really good the back nine," Langasque said after pocketing four birdies in his last five holes to post a 10-over total of 298. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Frank Pingue)