Jordan Spieth was basking in the Hawaiian sun until his day fell apart
in stunning fashion with a late quadruple-bogey to finish six shots back
of first round Sony Open leaders Zach Johnson and Chris Kirk on
Thursday.
Defending champion Justin Thomas, who last year opened with a 59 before
going on to set the tour’s all-time scoring record in a 72-hole event at
253, could not conjure up that same magic as he carded a three-under
67, four back of the leaders.
Thomas had five-times major champion Phil Mickelson’s former caddie, Jim
‘Bones’ Mackay, on his bag since his usual looper is unavailable due to
injury.
World number two Spieth, the highest ranked player at the Waialae
Country Club, overcame a rocky start and was inside the top five when he
reached his penultimate hole, the par-four eighth, where disaster
struck and he fell back to even par.
The British Open champion birdied his final hole for a one-under-par 69
that left him tied for 65th on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, but it did
little to ease the sting of the quadruple-bogey eight.
Spieth’s tee shot at the eighth hole clipped a tree on the left side of
the fairway, and his second shot barely advanced after it caromed off
another branch. He hit a tree with his next two shots before finally
finding a greenside bunker.
The three-times major champion, who is riding a string of six
consecutive top-10 finishes and had been installed as the favourite a
week after a ninth place finish at Kapalua, declined to speak with the
media following his round.
Twice major winner Johnson carded a bogey-free seven-under 63 in the
afternoon wave that included a birdie at 18 to grab a share of the lead
with early starter Kirk, who stormed into the clubhouse with four
birdies over the final six holes.
The duo were one shot ahead of Vaughn Taylor, Kyle Stanley, Talor Gooch and Brian Harman.
“It felt really good, it was nice to get a good start in under my belt,”
said Kirk, who hit 11 of 14 fairways and 15 greens in regulation.
“My swing kind of felt better and better as the day went on. Hit a few
loose shots in the front but really kind’ve tightened it up as the round
progressed.”
Jordan Spieth of the United States lines up a putt on the ninth hole during the first round of the Sony Open golf tournament at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Thursday. (USA TODAY Sports)