Spieth: Fenway 'greatest ballpark' in world

BOSTON -- The Red Sox rang in their first game of September with a star golfer recalling his pitching days and a soulful take on the national anthem before their game against the Yankees at Fenway Park.

The Tuesday night pregame ceremony featured 2015 Masters winner Jordan Spieth tossing out the ceremonial first pitch, as well as a duet performance by former Tower Of Power lead singer Ellis Hall and Berklee College of Music graduate Shea Rose.

"Yeah, it's cool, man. I think it's the greatest ballpark in the world," Spieth said beforehand. "So to be able to go out there on the mound and throw a pitch is something I certainly never thought I'd be able to do. It's really cool."

Video: NYY@BOS: Childhood Cancer Month recognized at Fenway

Spieth, who was a pitcher in his youth, fired his pitch high, but right over the heart of the plate to Boston right-hander Joe Kelly.

"I had a little bit of movement on a fastball. That's about it," Spieth said of his playing days. "But I never could throw it really hard or by anybody. I just hoped they kind of swung and miss."

Hall and Rose sang Marvin Gaye's R&B rendition of the anthem first performed at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Their version accompanied the #GoGold pregame ceremony orchestrated by the Red Sox, which was part of childhood cancer awareness night at the park.

Video: NYY@BOS: Hall, Rose sing national anthem at Fenway

Children and other supporters wearing gold T-shirts formed a ribbon in center field, calling attention to the significance of September as pediatric cancer awareness month.

For Spieth, the months since he thrust himself onto the national sports scene with his historic dominance at Augusta National have afforded him chances he never expected. Throwing out the first pitch in front of his second-favorite team -- the Rangers still top his list -- left the 22-year-old Dallas native reveling in the Fenway atmosphere.

"It's cool to use this position to have these opportunities off the course," Spieth said. "I never would have imagined this. I haven't thought much about the year on the course, because we've just been focused so much on what's going on next week. It's been awesome. The times I really notice it are times like this. That's when you notice how special it is. If you want to keep doing it, you got to keep doing what you're doing on the course, right?"