Spieth still seeking top form for Masters
The last time Jordan Spieth was in contention at the Houston Open, he lost out in a three-way playoff in 2015. Then he won the Masters for his first major championship.
The Dallas native is back this week for the usual Masters’ tuneup, searching for some momentum.
“This hasn’t been the start that I’ve wanted so far, but I would like to think the season kind of starts next week,” Spieth said Wednesday. “You put a lot of emphasis on peaking for four weeks a year and that first one comes at the Masters. I’m trying to have a fantastic event here obviously, which is the best way to gear up for (Augusta National).”
The 24-year-old Spieth, ranked No. 4 in the world, has been hurt by inconsistent putting of late. He missed the cut in the Valspar Championship and then lost to Patrick Reed on Friday in the Dell Technologies Match Play.
He is one of three top-10 players in the field at the Golf Club of Houston, followed by Justin Rose at No. 5 and Rickie Fowler No. 8. Phil Mickelson also is in the tournament after winning the WGC-Mexico Championship in early March for his first championship since the 2013 British Open.
Spieth’s chances of winning could hinge on returning to form on the greens, which are groomed to mimic the putting surfaces at Augusta National. He is currently ranked 201st in total putting on the PGA Tour and 172nd in strokes gained by putting.
“It’s simple stuff. It’s setup stuff that’s just gotten off and I just haven’t figured out how to consistently get it back on,” he said. “I’m getting there, putting a lot of work in. If it comes by next week or this week, great. If it doesn’t, it will come soon. I’m going to stay the course.
“I’ve got 20-plus more years out here and a few months of setup stuff isn’t going to derail my confidence too much. I’m in a good place right now where I know I’ve got time on my side. These couple weeks aren’t the be-all, end-all of my career. Solid putting (has been) in my DNA going back to when I was a junior golfer and that’s the belief I’ll continue to hold.”
LPGA Tour: Ayako Uehara birdied her final two holes for a 6-under 66 and a onestroke lead halfway through the first round of the ANA Inspiration at Rancho Mirage, Calif. The Japanese player was 6 under on her final 10 holes Thursday at Mission Hills, finishing with birdies on the par-3 eighth and par-5 ninth. Stanford sophomore Albane Valenzuela, Jessica Korda and Ha Na Jang were tied for second.
Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie were on the course in the featured late afternoon pairing in the first major championship of the season. Last year, Thompson was penalized four shots with six holes to play because of a rules violation the day before, wiping out a threestroke lead. She rallied to force a playoff that So Yeon Ryu won on the first hole. Thursday’s Games
Red Wings at Sabres: Late Lightning at Bruins: Late Penguins at Devils: Late Panthers at Senators: Late Sharks at Predators: Late Stars at Wild: Late
Jets at Blackhawks: Late Blue Jackets at Flames: Late Oilers at Canucks: Late Coyotes at Kings: Late
NHL notes
Flyers: Goalie Michael Neuvirth suffered an apparent groin injury on Wednesday night and might be through for the season. The club is expected to update his condition today. Backup Brian Elliott is close to returning after core-muscle surgery and Petr Mrazek will likely start until then.
Kings: Areed to terms with coveted free-agent defenseman Daniel Brickley, who had 10 goals and 25 assists in 40 games this season as a junior at Minnesota State. He also played for the U.S. team at the 2017 world championships.
Predators: Signed forward Eeli Tolvanen of Finland, the 30th pick overall last year, to an entry-level contract. He played for Finland in the 2018 Winter Olympics, where he tied for the second-most points by an under-19 player, with nine points in five games.
Coyotes: Despite having one of the worst records in the NHL, the club is 16-1-1 when holding opponents to two goals or less.