Jordan Spieth was supposed to have the home-course advantage this week at the new venue for the Byron Nelson.
But it was Marc Leishman who made the Trinity Forest Golf Club his own on Thursday.
Leishman put together a perfect day on the Crenshaw-Coore design that has replaced the TPC Los Colinas as the site of this week’s PGA Tour stop.
The big Aussie hit all 18 greens, 13 of 14 fairways and shot a career low, 10-under par 61 to take the first round lead.
Things went well right off the bat when his second to the first hole, a par five, stopped just three feet away and it was an easy eagle to get the day going. Leishman would add six birdies and a second eagle at the par five 14th when he holed a 13-footer there.
While Leishman set a course record, Spieth was unimpressive on the course he makes his Dallas headquarters. All Spieth could manage was a two-under par 69 and he was schooled by playing partner Jimmy Walker, who opened with an impressive seven-under par 64 that put him just two behind Leishman’s brilliant start.
Spieth did fare better than two other big names in the field. Sergio Garcia and Hideki Matsuyama both shot one-over par 72s and will have to play better on Friday to make the 36-hole cut.
Spieth is trying to break out of a slump that has seen him record no top 10s in his lasts seven events.
