HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Jordan Spieth was going all Jordan Spieth again.
No, not the roller-coaster thing, although the scorecard would indicate he got dizzy on another 18-hole ride, this one coming at Harbour Town Golf Links during Thursday’s first round of the RBC Heritage. No, it wasn’t one of those he’s back, he’s not back, he’s back, he’s not back days that have popped up since his most recent victory, that coming in the 2017 Open Championship.
In reality, the three-time major winner’s lone, ugly blemish on the card was more of a bump in the road that gave way to an extended joy ride by the sea. When he pulled into the scoring area, his signature verified a 5-under-par 66 that included a triple bogey offset by eight birdies, including six consecutive – the longest streak of his PGA Tour career.
“Today wasn’t really a roller coaster,” Spieth said. “That triple was a bogey at worst if it doesn’t ricochet 25 yards out of bounds. In the air, it was fine. It was just going to be in the trees, whether I could punch it to the green or punch out. I hit a tree, and it went about 20 yards to the right across the car path out of bounds. It wasn’t an out-of-bounds shot.
“It just got kind of a tough break. Then my three-putt was sloppy there. All of a sudden, I’m 3 over through three. It’s not a great feeling.”
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The OB-ball came on his third hole of the day – the par-4 12th. He immediately started feeling better with a birdie on the 13th, then lit up the front nine with seven birdies in his last eight holes, including six consecutive staring at the par-3 fourth.
If spectators were allowed, his birdie binge would have set off roars around this tight, tree-lined course as he scored from 12, 7, 2, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 3 feet.
“I’ve been making a lot of putts. I’ve been making a lot of birdies in my rounds,” Spieth said. “I told Michael (Greller, his caddie) on 13, I said, ‘All right, that’s over. Let’s get four today and shoot under par for the day, and that’s the new goal.’
“I ended up getting a few more than that.”
Spieth was two back of pace-setting Ian Poulter, who closed his bogey-free round of 64 with two birdies. Sebastian Munoz and Viktor Hovland stood second at 65 and Spieth was joined at 66 by Tony Finau and Matthew NeSmith.
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Last week, Spieth opened with a pair of 65s in the Charles Schwab Challenge and was one back with 18 to play. The golf world was saying he was back, especially after a lot of long, hard work on his game during the COVID-19 pandemic break.
But he closed with a 71 and finished in a tie for 10th. Last week was a roller-coaster – 22 birdies but four missed putts inside three feet, one OB ball and five bogeys in the final round. He there were far more positives than negatives last week.
“That was my first time in that position in right around two years, being anywhere near within three strokes of the lead starting a Sunday,” Spieth said. “So I expect that to be not quite sharp yet. You start to feel more comfortable the more experiences you get. Today had nothing to do with last Sunday.
“So if I work my way in over the next couple rounds on Sunday, I expect to feel a little more comfortable than I was last week. So I’m giving myself grace, but that’s not to say I’m not expecting to do better and better each week.”
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