Spieth shoots 63 to take lead in Travelers debut

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-under 63 and a one-stroke lead in the Travelers Championship.

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 in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

and a Connecticut native who grew up about 25 miles from the course in Madison, were tied for second.

The 33-year-old Stegmaier said he decided to become a professional golfer while in the gallery at the tournament in 2000, watching sink a 25-foot birdie putt to win. It was his fourth appearance at the Travelers and his first sub-par round.

“To be here now, it’s almost a little surreal,” Stegmaier said. “Just being on tour, I realize it’s not the greatest thing in the world, because it’s still a job. You still got to grind and there’s low points. But with the right perspective, to be here now talking to you guys, it’s pretty cool.”

Stegmaier, who missed six cuts in his last seven tournaments, had seven birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the round and closed with a bogey on No. 9.

Wagner was first into the clubhouse with a 64. He chipped in from 70 feet on his opening hole.

“It was a nice way to start and kind much calmed me down and kind of let me know today was going to be my day,” he said.

and shot 65.

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

Day, who like McIlroy missed the cut at the U.S. Open, shot a 72. Two-time Travelers champion Bubba Watson had a 75.

BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

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 on Thursday.

(64) took the overnight lead from

(65), and Joost Luiten and Thorbjorn Olesen (66) were tied for third with Garcia.

“I felt like I played quite well, not spectacular, but very consistent,” Garcia said.

Garcia opened with six birdies while Ormsby, who arrived at the Eichenried course on the back of three missed cuts, returned to fine form with eight.

“I had a fast start out there, turned in 30 on the front nine, and then kind of kept it going on the back,” the Australian said.

Detry had a bogey on the first hole but recovered with six birdies and an eagle. Defending champion

(67) was among 12 players tied for sixth.

Suspended Oklahoma safety Will Sunderland has admitted knowing that the property he sold at an Oklahoma City electronics store for $499.50 March 15 was stolen, police reported.

Sunderland, 20, was charged with seconddegree burglary, a felony, Wednesday in Cleveland County District Court.

Also Wednesday, Sunderland turned himself in on a related concealing stolen property charge. That misdemeanor case was filed last week in Oklahoma County District Court.

Sunderland was indefinitely suspended from the football team Monday night. He is accused in the felony case of entering the room of freshmen baseball players Brady Lindsly and Braden Minor and taking an Xbox One, a PlayStation and accessories to the game systems on March 15. Lindsly and Minor were with the baseball team in Georgia at the time.

The University of Oklahoma police reported in an affidavit that Sunderland was seen on recorded video using a OneCard Swipe to enter Headington Hall, and his identity was later confirmed by the OneCard Swipe log. Video then shows Sunderland entering the third floor and walking down the hall that also leads to his room. Then, according to the affidavit, Sunderland appears to be walking toward the elevator lobby but is not seen again on the security footage until eight minutes later when he returns to view with a large unidentified object.

Cameras show Sunderland repeating similar actions for about 36 minutes before he is seen carrying a large red bag into an elevator alone, according to the affidavit.

Once outside, cameras show Sunderland placing the red bag in the trunk of a vehicle parked outside Headington Hall. He then returned to Headington Hall with an unidentified male, and 31 minutes later, they exited carrying two white trash bags, according to the affidavit.

Police reported doing a search of LeadsOnline. com and finding a pawn ticket with an Xbox sold that matches the Xbox serial number provided by the victim in the case. The name of the seller on the ticket was Sunderland, according to the affidavit. Video from CDR Electronics, where Sunderland allegedly sold the property, shows Sunderland entering the business March 15 with the same red bag he was seen carrying in Headington Hall, according to the affidavit.

Sunderland in an interview with OU police admitted knowing the property was stolen when he sold it to CDR, police reported in affidavits in both the felony and misdemeanor cases.

Sunderland was released on a $2,000 bond after he turned himself in on the misdemeanor case Wednesday. He is due in court on that case July 20.