Spieth shoots 63, shares lead at AT&T Byron Nelson
McKINNEY, Texas: Jordan Spieth had his longest stretch all day of mere pars — a whopping four holes — on the besieged new home course of the AT&T Byron Nelson when the local favorite stepped over a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th.
Nothing but the bottom of the cup and a share of the first-round lead with J.J. Spaun at 9-under 63 on a nearly wind-less Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Spieth, Spaun and plenty of others had little trouble with TPC Craig Ranch north of Dallas. There were 132 players in the field of 156 under par, with 94 of those in the 60s on the third venue in the past four Nelsons.
“It’s a good golf course, but it’s playing about as easy as it can play,”
said 2018 Nelson winner Aaron Wise, who was among four one shot off the lead. “We got a ton of rain the last two days and then perfect weather today and looks like tomorrow and Saturday as well, so it’s set up for scoring.”
Hideki Matsuyama sputtered on the front nine in his first appearance since becoming the first Japanese player to win the Masters, then stalled again after three straight birdies to start the back nine. He finished at 68.
“I really felt like a Masters champion because every hole, every hole, there was just a warm applause and welcome,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter. “It was really good to play as Masters champion.”
Sung Kang, the defending champion as the 2019 winner, shot a 67 on his home course. The South Korean player put his 234-yard approach on the par5 ninth to 8 feet and made the eagle putt. He had four birdies and a bogey.
After last year’s Covid-19 cancellation, the Nelson returned to the suburbs at McKinney’s Craig Ranch after two years at Trinity Forest, a treeless links course in Dallas. The Four Seasons resort in Irving was home for more than 30 years.
Craig Ranch was the site of two Korn Ferry Tour Championships, but was little match for its first test at the higher level.
Soft greens from recent rain and the calm conditions made for favorable scoring right from the start.
Rafa Cabrera Bello was the first to post 64, soon joined by Wise, still looking for his second career PGA Tour victory three years after his first at the Nelson and Doc Redman. Joseph Bramlett joined them from the afternoon pairings.
Sergio Garcia, who holed out from 52 yards for eagle on the par-4 sixth, was in a large group at 65.
Jon Rahm, the highestranked player in the field at No. 3 after top-ranked Dustin Johnson withdrew because of a knee issue, birdied three of his first five holes but cooled off and finished at 68.