Spieth’s late blitz makes up for trouble on greens

IN THE preamble to the Houston Open, Jordan Spieth declared he was looking for a 64 or 65 to fire him up for the Masters next week. It certainly did not happen yesterday. But an encouraging finish of three straight birdies did rescue a four-under par 68 from the clutches of a far more prosaic score. He may yet head to Augusta with the momentum-shifting performance he is seeking for the season’s first major. He will need more convincing evidence than three holes, mind, for up to that point it appeared another round featuring more of the mysterious malaise on the greens that has left him as virtually the only big name without a victory this season. He has not even been close, if truth be told. How could he be when he is currently sitting a lowly 172nd in strokes gained in putting this season? The man who looked like he had done a deal with the devil on the greens during his early years on tour is presently just another sufferer who has succumbed to the black art. The Open champion started well enough, with two birdies in the first four holes. Then an expertly played bunker shot rescued a par at the difficult 18th — he started at the 10th — before he moved to three under by rolling in a 13ft birdie putt at the first. Then, just as he appeared to be making a decent leap forward, the Texan (below) made a dispiriting one back. At the third he stood over one of those putts in the eight to 10 feet range that have been troubling him all season — and missed it comfortably. You could see the shoulders slump. At the next hole he had the same length putt again — and missed that one as well. At that stage, on a perfect day for golf — talk about the calm after the storm, for more than two inches of rain fell during the night, causing a two-hour delay — he was hurtling down the leaderboard before showing his class over the closing stretch. All three birdies came as a result of wonderful iron shots, which has become the strength of his game — and great iron play is a prerequisite at Augusta. Spieth stood three shots off the early first-round pace set by Lucas Glover and Kevin Tway. Rickie Fowler showed he is another Masters contender in form, one shot back after a 66. Veteran Irishman Padraig Harrington, one of the many seeking the win to trigger a last-minute Masters invitation, shot his best score of the

season with a 67.