Jordan Spieth was in midseason form Thursday during the first round of the Hero World Challenge. By midseason form, we mean his round was just as nutty as they usually are while in the heart of the PGA Tour schedule.
The three-time major champion hasn’t hit a competitive golf shot since the U.S. got beat at the Ryder Cup two months ago in Italy, but he did not disappoint at Albany, shooting a four-under 68 to trail Brian Harman and Tony Finau by a shot after the first round.
How he got there was amazing, making only five pars, with two eagles, six birdies, four bogeys and one ugly double bogey. He’s actually made only five pars in a round before on the PGA Tour, but never fewer than that.
“Yeah, it was an electric factory out there, for sure,” Spieth joked. “Some rusty putting, a couple toe balls and then a lot of really, really good stuff. So, all in all I would have probably signed for four under when I was warming up today, I just didn't think I'd get there this way.”
Spieth made par on four of the first seven holes, then went another 11 holes without one until closing with par on the last. After pars at Nos. 1 and 2, Spieth made eagle on the par-5 third hole when he hit his second shot to five feet from 260 yards out. He hacked the par-5 sixth hole, had to take a penalty stroke and made a 10-footer for a double-bogey 7.
The second eagle came on the par-5 15th hole when he hit his second shot to 60 feet and drained the putt. He then bogeyed 16, made a 17-footer for birdie on the par-3 17th, then blew his drive way right off the 18th tee but somehow the ball found it was back and into the fairway. He hit an approach to 14 feet and when the birdie putt missed, Spieth tapped in for only his fifth par and a four-under 68.
Ahead, Harman and Finau both made 11 pars, six birdies and one bogey for their respective 67s.
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