Not even Phelps could inspire Spieth

– Not even the inspiration of being watched by pal Michael Phelps, the Olympic swim legend with a record 23 gold medals, could help Jordan Spieth solve his putting woes on Thursday at the PGA Championship.

World No 2 Spieth, seeking a career Grand Slam at age 24 after winning the British Open last month, struggled to a one-over 72 in the opening round at Quail Hollow, five shots behind co-leaders Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark and Kevin Kisner of the United States.

Jordan needed 32 putts to navigate the faster-than-expected greens, which proved formidable despite absorbing an inch of rain at the start of the week.

“I can’t putt any worse than I did today,” Spieth (pictured) said. “If you told me I was going to hit my driver the way I did today, I would have definitely thought I had shot a few under par, which was an awesome score.

“The score won’t be any higher than it was today if I’m driving the ball like today.”

The disappointing score came as Phelps walked the course watching Spieth launch his bid to become only the sixth man to win all four Major titles in his career, and be the youngest to do it.

“It was great,” Spieth said. “He has become a good friend and mentor. It’s pretty awesome to have a mentor like that. He texted earlier in the week. I think he was here just for an outing and he said he was going to be somewhere else after today.

“We’ve had dinner, talked through a lot of things that I will probably just keep to myself. A lot of mental approach and preparation stuff.”

Such things are just what Spieth will need if he is to lift the Wanamaker Trophy tomorrow and join golf legends Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Ben Hogan on the

Joost Luiten of the Netherlands made the first hole-in-one at a PGA Championship since 2013 at the par-three fourth hole.

The Dutchman was seven-over for his opening round at the year’s final Major after starting on the 10th tee alongside Americans Russell Henley and Paul Claxton.

But Luiten, 31, made his shot of the day from 181 yards at the fourth, the ball bouncing once and then striking the flagstick on its way to career Slam list.

“When I had the chances I had and I just couldn’t get the ball to go in on the greens, that is when I get the most frustrated I can get out there,” Spieth said.

He began on the back nine and made the turn at level par but had three bogeys in the first six holes on the front, missing 10-foot par putts in each case.

A three-footer for birdie at the par-five seventh and a tap-in birdie at eight lifted some of the gloom.

“If I were to finish par, par, par, I would have thrown myself out of the tournament,” Spieth said. “I had three looks (at birdies) and almost got back all the way to evenpar.

“I needed those from short range because it seemed like the lid was on today. I burned a lot of edges. Some were good putts, some weren’t.

“Overall that’s what I’m going to work on is hitting some more putts.” – AFP