Bryson DeChambeau and Rickie Fowler are both ranked higher than Jordan Spieth, but the No. 13-ranked player in the world is the story at this week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
A first-round of 5-under par 66 has Spieth right in the thick of things, three shots back of Peter Uihlein, who shot an 8-under par 63.
“Satisfaction,” Spieth said when asked what was the first thing to come to mind after Thursday’s round. “(I) put in a lot of really good work this off-season knowing that I step on the tee not really feeling that tight with my ball striking and driving. Kind of testy with the short game, but I know it’s going the right way. To kind of really trust it all and see it pay off into a good round, certainly, I’m satisfied.”
Spieth birdied his first hole of the 2018-19 PGA Tour season, going on to shoot an outgoing 2-under par 33. Overall, he made seven birdies and two bogeys to post 5-under par.
“It’s fantastic out here,” Spieth said. “(The) couple bogeys were just decision errors, just kind of having not played in a month; tournament errors that you don’t get in trouble with the pins I normally see at home, but you get in the trouble with the pin placements out here.
“(I’ll) try and tighten that up a little bit with the approach game, but very pleased with the putter today for sure.”
Uihlein jumped out to his lead thanks to four straight birdies to start his back nine. He leads by one over Seth Reeves and by two over Harold Varner III and Robert Streb.
