KAPALUA, Hawaii – Jordan Spieth walked off the course after the opening round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions owning a share of the lead with three other players. Not that he was aware of it.
“I didn’t even know I was leading,” Spieth admitted. “I thought somebody was at 8 under. I don’t know who the other guys are.”
The other guys are Webb Simpson, Michael Thompson and Chris Kirk, each of whom – along with Spieth – posted a 7-under 66 on a windblown day that saw scores in the 30-man field ranging from that number all the way up to 79.
It’s just business as usual for Spieth, the 20-year-old who last year earned his first PGA Tour victory and claimed nine total top-10 results in 23 starts.
“It was kind of a start that I’m very happy, very happy with for 2014,” he said. “I had control over my long clubs and my speed putting. It’s a course that I shouldn’t make a lot of bogeys on if you keep the ball in play and just think your way around the course.
“Ultimately did some good preparation and did a lot of hard work the last two or three weeks getting ready for today and now just happy to be in good position after the first round.”