Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy had everyone’s initial attention Thursday morning at Muirfiled Village, but it was Jordan Spieth who stole the spotlight.
Playing alongside McIlroy and Justin Thomas, who was making his first start since the Masters because of a wrist injury, Spieth made four birdies over his opening nine holes (beginning at the 10th).
It began with this chip-in for birdie at the par-5 11th.
No putt, no problem.@JordanSpieth makes birdie with a wedge.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/KPP5AZmvP7
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
Continued with this approach shot at the par-4 14th.
Dialed in.@JordanSpieth is 2-under through five holes.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/TiUiExtKA1
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
Then this birdie at the par-5 15th.
The imagination of @JordanSpieth on full display.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
He's just two back.
💻/📱: https://t.co/g2qRVkammA pic.twitter.com/3knpGRCFoJ
And concluded with this approach shot at the par-4 18th.
This is fun to watch.@JordanSpieth is feeling it.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
He makes the turn in 32 and is two off the lead.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/Gfny7HTk4L
Well, not really concluded. Spieth kept adding red numbers to his card on the front nine. He birdied the par-4 third.
Another wedge, another birdie.@JordanSpieth is now 5-under.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/e3YR6dCeLe
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
Kept his card clean with this chip-in par at the fourth.
Tough lie in the rough. 😨
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
Pitches it over the green. 😤
Holes it for par. 🤯@JordanSpieth can do no wrong on Thursday @MemorialGolf. 🤷♂️#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/ZMp2C5ypuB
And then rolled in this eagle at the par-5 fifth to tie for the lead.
Vintage.@JordanSpieth rolls in an eagle putt from 35'7".#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/Rru0WnzYib
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2019
Spieth would bogey the par-3 eighth, his lone blemish in Round 1, to shoot 6-under 66. He finished one shot off the lead.