He lies a shot behind leader and friend Patrick Reed in the first event of 2016, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Advertisement
SOUTH AFRICAN LEADS: Jaco van Zyl shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to top a South African-dominated leaderboard in the first round of the SA Open, the European Tour’s first event of 2016, at Gauteng, South Africa.
Jordan Spieth admitted he was “anxious” and “nervous” ahead of the new season, but is confident he can continue the formidable form he demonstrated last term. Reed’s eagle putt would cap off a six-under run in the final six holes.
The Hyundai Tournament of Champions is an institution on Maui.
World number two Jason Day did not enjoy as productive days as Reed and Spieth, but is still well-placed thanks to a bogey-free three under. Spieth is chipping in. Spieth is in the lead.
They typically do well together, which includes a 2-0-1 record as partners in the Ryder Cup two years ago. He came home in just 31 shots, six under par.
“Did I see 16 under?”
“Patrick could have shot 13 under today”, Spieth said.
“I didn’t think I could get it all the way to the green”, Reed said.
“Well, I mean I should get a little better each time I go and practice, right?”
Argentina’s Fabian Gomez holds sixth place at 68.
Reed didn’t make almost enough birdies to keep pace.
Reed wasn’t converting many chances, with two-putt birdies on the par 5s on the front.
Closing it out is something that’s a different mental edge than I really knew the last couple years prior to the 2015 season.
Spieth came up short and showed the brilliance of his short game with a high pitch to 4 feet for birdie and a 66.
But it was the back nine where Spieth built his lead. His round turned with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 13th. 14 and 15-with the latter being another par five he reached under regulation, which gave him a good look at eagle.
Lee, who was third after the opening round, began by three-putting the first hole and then dropped another shot when he missed the green on the par-three second. He started the back nine with three straight birdies, and the only glitch was failing to birdie the two par 5s on the back nine.
The first tee time of the second round tees off at 3:20 PM ET with James Hahn and J.J. Henry.
Advertisement
The world’s top player Jordan Spieth is four under after 12 holes and is looming large.
