Jordan Spieth got his game firing on all cylinders Thursday at The Travelers.
Too bad it was a week late.
Spieth, who underperformed at the U.S. Open with a lowly tie for 35th, took some momentum from his final round 69 to the TPC River Highlands.
Spieth found eight birdies and just a single bogey on his way to a seven-under par 63 that gave him the first round lead.
“In the practice rounds and the pro-am, we thought this was a pretty good course for us,” Spieth said after holing a three-footer at the 18th hole for his final birdie of the day.
“Confirmation that everything’s there,” Spieth said of his day’s work.
Spieth is one of several big name stars in the field thanks to some rule revisions by the PGA Tour. If a player enters less than 25 events in a season, then he is required to show up at a tournament he hasn’t played in over the previous four seasons. In addition to Spieth, world’s No. 3 Rory McIlroy showed up and opened with a 67. No. 4 Jason Day, who floundered at Erin Hills and missed the cut along with McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, didn’t have much going in the first round as he shot two-over par 72 and is well over the projected cut on Friday.
Former champ Bubba Watson, who picked up his first PGA Tour win here, had an awful first day, finishing with a five-over par 75.
Brian Harman, the 54-hole leader at Erin Hills, shook off the close call and opened with a 66.
Xander Schauffele, the surprise contender at Erin Hills, continued his great play with a 66.
Paddy Harrington, who suffered an injured elbow when an amateur hit him with a driver several weeks ago, appeared totally healed and shot a 66 to prove it.
