Jordan Spieth made eight birdies and a bogey on Thursday for a 7-under 63 and a one-stroke lead in the Travelers Championship.
Spieth birdied five of the first eight holes and took sole possession of the lead on the final hole, hitting a wedge to 4 feet for birdie on the par-4 18th, reports the PGA TOUR website.
‘Being 3 under through four it helps you walk a little easier, it helps kind of the shots you are playing throughout the round,’ Spieth said. ‘You don’t feel like you have to take as many chances, and I was able to play away from pins when I was in a little bit of trouble.’
The two-time major champion tied for 35th on Sunday in the US Open at Erin Hills.
Johnson Wagner and Brett Stegmaier, a Connecticut native who grew up about 25 miles from the course in Madison, were tied for second.
Rory McIlroy, also playing for the first time at TPC River Highlands like Spieth, had a 67. The third-ranked McIlroy started early on the back nine, drawing large galleries before 8:00.
He was still experimenting with the putter he began using while missing the cut at the US Open, and missed five short birdie putts Thursday. But he finished with just one bogey. That came on No 18 when he missed a 13-foot birdie putt by 3 feet, then lipped out his par attempt.
‘I feel like I could have been at least three or four better,’ said McIlroy, who said he’s giving the new putter one more week to begin working. ‘I think I hit five or six putts out there that hit the hole and didn’t go in.’
The tournament’s strong field includes Spieth, McIlroy and fourth-ranked Jason Day. Day, who like McIlroy missed the cut last week, shot a 72 while two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson had a 75.
Spieth said he felt as if he built off what at the time seemed like a meaningless 69 in the final round at Erin Hills.
‘I thought that was a round just like this,’ he said. ‘I thought I played as well or even better than I did today.’
He had to overcome several distractions Thursday, including a delay at the sixth hole while paramedics attended to a fan who had passed out.
The incident came several weeks after Spieth said he witnessed a fan die during the pro-am at the Memorial in Ohio.
‘It’s bizarre that that happens, but fortunately this lady, she got up and seemed to be just fine after she kind of cooled down for a little while and the paramedics came,’ he said. ‘I mean, there’s more important things than golf. But, it didn’t bother us.’
Jim Furyk, like playing partner McIlroy, shot a 67. Furyk was playing his first round in Cromwell since setting a tour record with a 58 in the final round last year. He said fans were shouting at him all day to go for 57.
‘Rory joked off the 10th we might hear 40s before we’re done,’ he said. ‘It was a fun round and it’s great to come back.’
Photo: Getty Images
