Spieth-Palmer share 1st-round lead with Ruffels-Stanley at team event

AVONDALE, La. - Jordan Spieth showed off his stellar short game. Ryan Palmer contributed momentum-saving par putts. They turned out to be quite the team Thursday in the Zurich Classic, the first official team event on the PGA Tour in 36 years.

Spieth hit a bump-and-run from 100 feet to a front pin to set up birdie on the par-5 11th, chipped in for birdie on the 14th and closed out their foursomes round with a 15-foot birdie for a 6-under 66 to share the lead with 18-year-old Ryan Ruffels and Kyle Stanley.

Nick Watney made a 60-foot eagle putt from well off the green at the par-5 18th as he and Charley Hoffman were among four teams at 67.

Even in the tough alternate-shot format, benign conditions at the TPC Louisiana allowed for good scoring with 43 of the 80 teams breaking par, and 18 teams in the 60s.

“Alternate-shot format with these conditions, anything 3 under or so was a solid score,” Spieth said. “Grab a few extra and be in pole position , it’s fantastic.”

LPGA Tour

IRVING, Texas - Lexi Thompson shot a 2-under 69 in her first LPGA Tour round since a rules violation cost her a likely victory in the first major tournament of the year, leaving her four strokes behind leader M.J. Hur in the North Texas LPGA Shootout.

Hur had a bogey-free 65 on a blustery, sunny day at Las Colinas Country Club. Ariya Jutanugarn and Michelle Wie were a stroke back along with Katherine Kirk, Jennifer Song, Sung Hyun Park, Sandra Changkija and Marina Alex.

European Tour

BEIJING - Alexander Levy shot a 9under 63 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the China Open.

The Frenchman, who won the China Open in 2014, carded nine birdies in a bogey-free round at the Topwin Golf and Country Club to finish one stroke ahead of Pablo Larrazabal.

— Wire services