Spieth shoots 63 to take lead in Travelers debut
Jordan Spieth didn’t take long to figure out TPC River Highlands.
Making his debut at the Connecticut course, the 23-year-old Texan had eight birdies and a bogey Thursday for a 7-underpar 63 and a one-stroke lead at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn.
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.
“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 at the U.S. Open in Erin, Wis.
Johnson Wagner and Brett Stegmaier, a Connecticut native who grew up about 25 miles from the course, were tied for second at 64. Graham DeLaet and Troy Merritt shot 65.
Rory McIlroy, also playing for the first time at TPC River Highlands, had a 67. The third-ranked McIlroy started early on the back nine, drawing large galleries before 8 a.m.
He was still experimenting with the putter he began using while missing the cut at the U.S. 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 at the U.S. Open, shot a 72. Two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson had a 75. European Tour: Sergio Garcia opened his first event in Europe since his Masters win by shooting a bogey-free 6-under 66 to lie two strokes off the lead at the BMW International Open in Munich.
Wade Ormsby (64) leads, with Thomas Detry (65) a stroke back. Joost Luiten and Thorbjorn Olesen were tied for third with Garcia.
Defending champion Henrik Stenson (67) was among 12 players tied for sixth. State amateur: Stanford’s Franklin Huang, USF’s Henry Chung and Pepperdine’s Josh McCarthy (of Danville) were among the eight players who advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals of the 106th California Amateur Championship at the Olympic Club.
Huang earned a 3-and-1 victory over Ben Corfee in Thursday’s round-of-16 matches at the Lake Course. Chung won 2and-1 over Norman Xiong, and McCarthy secured a 3-and-2 victory over Brandon Tsujimoto. San Jose’s Eddy Lai, the stroke-play medalist, lost to Danny Ochoa 1-up.
Friday morning’s quarterfinal winners will play semifinal matches in the afternoon. The 36-hole final is Saturday.