Some observations from the first round of the Shell Houston Open, where Charley Hoffman holds the lead after a first-round 64.
1. Jordan Spieth started the final tournament before his first Masters defense with a 5-under 67. Spieth, who finished runner-up at last year’s Shell Houston Open, is three shots off the lead after making six birdies and one bogey Thursday at the Golf Club of Houston.
“I feel like … my game is there. It’s very close,” Spieth said. “I came off a solid week last week. (I had) just one kind of off round against Louis Oosthuizen. We were able to get some work in with Cameron (McCormick, Spieth’s instructor) and continue what we’ve already been trying to do, trim the fat going into this week and next.”
I had very, very good control of my golf game and my short game was there today as well.
His mission before the first round at Augusta National is to eliminate some of the careless mistakes. There was one today, a sloppy bogey at the Golf Club of Houston’s 10th hole, when Spieth missed the green with just a lob wedge in his hand. He missed just four fairways and four greens.
“I drove the ball fantastic today,” Spieth said. “I really felt comfortable on my iron shots.”
Spieth teed off Thursday afternoon alongside Patrick Reed (69) and Luke List (68), who got into the tournament Wednesday when defending champion J.B. Holmes withdrew with a shoulder injury.
Spieth had one goal for the second round: “Just keep doing the same thing,” he said.