He IS human. Spieth posts worst score
IT’S not often the No 1 golfer in the world is playing for little more than pride but that was Jordan Spieth’s shocking lot yesterday after the worst opening round of his career.
‘A day to forget,’ was the American’s succinct summary following his stunningly bad 79 on Thursday at the Northern Trust Open — and it was certainly that.
While other fancied names like Bubba Watson shot 66 and Rory McIlroy opened with a 67, Spieth began his second round in 143rd place in the 144- man field. He finished no fewer than 16 shots behind the first round leader, Camilo Villegas.
Who could have predicted that of the man who lapped the field during his all- conquering season last year, and shot 30 under par to win the opening event on the PGA Tour last month?
Naturally, the classy 22-year- old Texan was maintaining a sense of perspective afterwards. ‘You know in the course of a career days like this are going to happen,’ he said. ‘It’s just unfortunate when it does.’
What made it so surprising was that Spieth was in confident mood before the event, talking up his chances on a course where he finished one shot off the winning score last year.
But his iron shots were hopelessly awry and that fabled putting stroke deserted him completely for once.
The final indignity came at the 18th, where he had an 8ft putt for par — and ended up with a double bogey.
It followed on from a nondescript performance in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week, where he was never a factor.
So, are we seeing the first signs of something Rory McIlroy talked about last December, and the burden of expectation that inevitably follows any year you win two of the four majors?
If nothing else, Spieth had the chance to quieten any thinking in that direction yesterday. Helping him was the fact he was out early on a perfect Los Angelesg morning, with thehe course virtually defenceless. ess.
If truth be told,, he looked like he was still getting over er the shock of hiss opening round during the early holes.
Starting from the 10th, he failed to get the birdie on offer there and thenn ran up an awfulul bogey six at the he long 11th, and yet another bogey att the 12th.
At the 15th, he appeared completely out of sorts, as a wretched hooked drive was followed by an iron that was mishit so completely it finished fully 30 yards from the green.
But like so many great players before him, the 22- year- old just doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit. And, following a lovely chip to 4ft to rescue the most unlikely of pars, suddenly he seemed to stir. A ffine midiriron at the 1616th left him wiwith a 20footfooter, and he smilesmiled broadly when iit dropped into the holhole. Has there ever been a golfer who holes quite so many putts in that range as Spieth? At the par-five 17th and the 18th he had two more of that length and those dropped as well.
Three birdies in a row, and now he had momentum on his side. It summed up how bad he had played the first 21 holes that he still needed to play his back nine in 31 shots — four under par — to have any chance of making the halfway cut.
But at least he started in positive fashion, finding the green at the par-five first to set up his fourth birdie in succession. At the very least, he was showing that when it comes to a champion’s pride he’s got plenty of that.
At the top of the leaderboard, Villegas dropped three early shots, and was quickly overtaken by American Dustin Johnson, who assumed the lead on seven under. Former winner Adam Scott was also making a move on five under. As for McIlroy and Watson, they were among the late starters.