Spieth on roller-coaster day: 'I'd like it to be boring'
Jordan Spieth white-knuckled his way through the roller coaster that is the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass during the first nine holes at The Players Championship on Thursday.
Spieth started his day on No. 10 and immediately ignited the crowd with an opening birdie. He followed it with a brilliant hole-out from the bunker for eagle on the par-5 11th to grab an early lead.
However, that didn't last long as Spieth found water off the tee on No. 14 en route to a double-bogey. Next came a bogey on No. 15 before he rebounded with his second eagle chip-in of the day on No. 16.
"I'm obviously very aware of what I'm doing," Spieth said with a laugh, according to Kevin Prise of PGATOUR.com. "I mean, I feel like I'd like it to be boring, and then I'm still in a position right now where I'm still not at the place I want to be and just trying to work my way there. So when that happens, there's going to be volatility."
Spieth bogeyed No. 17 and birdied the last hole to post a two-under 34 - with only a pair of pars on the card.
His play steadied on the front nine as he made seven pars to shoot even and post 70 for the entire round. He held a good chance to birdie the par-5 ninth after an excellent drive but tugged his approach into the trees and was lucky to save par.
"Pete Dye (course architect) got me again," Spieth said. "When you don't have a wedge out of the fairway, you just have to take your medicine on these par 5s, play the angles and stuff like that. I probably lost a shot there."
Despite that missed chance, Spieth should be very pleased with his opening round at TPC Sawgrass. He's missed the cut in five of his 10 previous appearances and essentially hasn't competed for the trophy since he finished tied for fourth as a 20-year-old.
Spieth likely came to The Players with some added motivation after he didn't receive a sponsor exemption to the signature event last week at Bay Hill.
He sits four strokes off Lucas Glover's clubhouse lead with the afternoon wave still on the course.