MCKINNEY — Jordan Spieth hoped the CJ Cup Byron Nelson could provide an opportunity to reset his season. It still can, it just may be a longer burn than he’d expected.
Spieth, a Dallas native and Jesuit alum, shot a 3-under 68 in Thursday’s first round and finished the day tied for 53rd with a host of others. Play was suspended at 8:06 p.m. and although the majority of groups finished play, those that didn’t will resume at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday before the start of round two.
The three-time major winner is the highest-ranked golfer in this week’s field and the betting favorite to win his hometown tournament, but his winless season thus far — which has included three top 10′s and a missed cut at the Masters — hasn’t gone as he’d wished.
”I’m not ideal,” Spieth said after his round. “I wouldn’t have signed for 3-under to start the day. In that sense, I knew I would get lapped and will continue to this afternoon. So I imagine I’ll be somewhere in 30th [after round one]. So I’m not out of it, but certainly you want to stay within two or three of the lead as you get through the first couple rounds.”
Spieth shot a 5-under 67 in the first round of the 2022 Byron Nelson — his last start at TPC Craig Ranch — but finished eight shots back of leader Sebastian Munoz. He shot a second-round 65 and a third-round 64 before a runner-up finish behind K.H. Lee, his highest placement at the Byron Nelson since he debuted here as a 16-year-old.
”Doesn’t look like we’re going to get a ton of wind or anything [this afternoon], so I am going to have to really make it up,” Spieth said. “Because there will be a lot of guys shooting low scores.”
Reigning champ Day is on the right track: Jason Day — whose win at least year’s Byron Nelson snapped a five-year drought — shot a 5-under 66 on Thursday to finish round one tied for 13th.
“It’s nice,” Day said. “I think overall the average winning score is 22-under around here. You kind of have to shoot 5-under, 6-under a day, somewhere in that region. So it’s good. Kind of on par right now, so good. Got three more days left.”
Day, who started on the back nine grouped with Spieth, was 1-under at the turn but rattled off birdies on holes 10, 11, 14 and 18 to climb the board.
”If you make — give yourself — the correct opportunities off certain holes,” Day said. “you can get momentum rolling your way very quickly.”
Leader Wallace hopeful for a turnaround: So, Matt Wallace, how would you define your season so far? “Terrible,” Wallace said. That’s direct and to the point.
The 34-year-old Englishman missed the cut in four of his first 11 events this season and has finished no higher than a tie for 17th (at the Valspar Championship in March) in the seven tournaments in which he did reach the weekend.
”I’ve played poor,” he said. “But I’m old enough now to know it’s a long season and there is so much golf to be played. I haven’t played how I wanted to, but my main focus from how I didn’t start the season was coming up to September when the Ryder Cup points start for me.”
But, in Thursday’s first round, Wallace shot a field-best 8-under 63 and finished the day alone in first place. Seven golfers — Taylor Pendrith, Alex Noren, Chesson Hadley, Jake Knapp, Davis Riley, Kelly Kraft and Taiga Semikawa — are tied for second at 7-under. Wallace played bogey-free gold and carded five birdies on the front nine.
”Just a really solid round of golf,” Wallace said. “The wind started to pick up at the end, but the course is in amazing condition considering the rain we had and the delay this morning.”
