GolfChannel.com’s Nick Menta is taking over the @GolfCentral Twitter handle and tracking Jordan Spieth in Round 1 of the John Deere Classic. Follow along with his hole-by-hole updates:
And that'll be it for Jordan Spieth. An even-par 71 in Round 1 on a day where he left a lot birdies unclaimed.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
"Hit it hard enough!" - Spieth after miss.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Even par heading into 18. Putter hasn't cooperated all day. Not his usual make-everything self.
Short-game troubles pop up again for Spieth who slams a straight-forward, uphill chip past hole at 17. Birdie putt coming back misses low.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
That said, Brian Harman is winning the body-language title in this group. At no point do you go, "I wonder what he's thinking?"
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Routine par for Spieth at the par-3 16th. He might have started walking after his first putt before he hit it. Left it 3 feet short.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Those birdies appear to have reinvested Spieth in this round. Scrambling par at 15. Worked his way out of trouble. Took his time.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
What is this? Momentum?! Spieth flags a wedge at the short 14th. Cleans it up from a few feet and we have back-to-back birdies. Even par.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
That's Spieth's first birdie since the fifth hole. Separately, the Quad Cities may just have the best mosquitoes on the PGA Tour.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Go figure. Plays a quality shot from the bunker and snakes a long one for birdie. Misses all those shorties and makes that?! Back to 1 over.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Maybe we shouldn't have brought up the ball striking. Spieth just missed widest fairway on the course at 13. Ball was behind lip in bunker.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Spieth's actually hitting the ball just fine. It's the short game and the putter. Chalk it up to rust? First round since U.S. Open win.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Stubs a short chip on 12 and just stands there with his arms folded staring at it. Pours in par putt (hey!) but aggravation is little hidden
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
He's going to need to regroup and play these last seven strong or maybe fear early exit. He's already 10 back of Thomas.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Spieth appears frustrated and unnecessarily rushed that pitch shot. He has yet to recover from missed birdie try at 7.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Spieth misses the green way right on 11, barely surveys his chip, and has it roll back down a ridge. Par putt misses. 2 over thru 11.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Yet another missed birdie opportunity for Spieth from short distance, this time at the par-5 10th. He's left four birdies out here already.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Back-to-back bogeys drop Spieth to 1 over through 9. 6/7 fairways. 7/9 greens. 17 putts. Frustrating start.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
First missed green and first dropped shot for Spieth after short-siding himself and hitting a poor chip well past the hole. Back to E thru 8
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Spieth takes aim at tucked-left pin on 220-yard par-3 7th and stuffs it but putt won't fall. Third shortish birdie look that didn't drop.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Spieth drives to edge of fairway on 6 and plays approach while standing in bunker. Birdie try bumps on him and he stays 1 under.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
There it is! First birdie of the day for Spieth. Rolls in a slippery 10-footer down the hill to move to 1 under through 5.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Another fairway, another green, another two-putt par for Spieth. Even thru 4 with two lip-out birdie tries.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Spieth and Harman got lucky, getting through it. Lee - not so lucky. Right behind it. That's what they get for hitting it straight?
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
All three in this group - Spieth, Harman and Lee - hit the large tree directly in the middle of the fourth fairway.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Routine two-putt par for Spieth at the uphill par-3 third. Displeased with pushed iron off the tee but no harm done. 3/3 GIR so far.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Another lip-out birdie try for Spieth. Second in as many holes. Even par through two in Round 1.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Good birdie look at No. 1 lips out. Tap-in par for Spieth at the opening hole.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015
Jordan Spieth has arrived at the first tee at the John Deere. Playing with Danny Lee and Brian Harman. 3-wood finds fairway, and we're off.
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) July 9, 2015