Letter from Sawgrass: Jordan Spieth's first round was a mixed bag of good and bad

THE GOOD, BAD AND MIXED BAG: Jordan Spieth's first round at TPC Sawgrass was a mixed bag of good and bad golf. Pic: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

He’s not been his best self since his peak 2015, but golf fans still get their money’s worth with Jordan Spieth. Good … bad … often both at the same time.

The three-time major winner performed the full Jordan Spieth experience on Thursday morning at TPC Sawgrass. Through his first 12 holes, Spieth recorded three pars – one of them from deep in the trees after making the turn on one. He also had two bogeys, one double, three birdies including a pair of dagger darts to kick-in range and a pair of hole-out eagles – the first from 53 feet out of the bunker on 11 and the second from 77 well left on 16. The only putt outside of 3 feet that he made to get to 3-under in that span was an 11-footer on the par-5 second hole.

“I’m obviously very aware of what I’m doing, but, I mean, no, I feel like I’d like it to be boring,” Spieth said after posting a colorful 2-under 70 to sit four shots behind leader Lucas Glover in the first round of the Players Championship.

“All the volatility was just in those first five, six holes and from there it was just almost and just close to being really good.” 

Earlier this season, the former world number one had plummeted to No. 85 in the Official World Golf Ranking before starting to bounce back with a T4 in Phoenix and a T9 two weeks ago at PGA National. He continues to fight with his game as he tries to get back to the consistent contender he once was back in his 20s.

That struggle with the demons in his swing is offset by the angels he still can conjure up.

“I’m still in a position right now where I’m still not at the place I want to be and just trying to work my way there,” he said. “So when that happens there’s going to be volatility. I don’t feel super tight yet, but I do feel like I’m on the right path and I’ve had a number of tournaments where I’ve played boring towards the end and I’ve had plenty where there’s volatility, too.

“A lot of the times when it happens it’s when I’m trying to do too much, and that’s when I’m aware of it and that’s the most frustrating one. Bad swing, you go learn how to make better swings."

Spieth has always struggled to come to terms with the Pete Dye Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Since tying for fourth in his Players debut in 2014, he’s missed six of nine cuts and his only finish better than 40th was a T19 in 2023. Sitting in red figures within striking distance of contention is a bit of a bonus, considering, even after his ideal birdie-eagle start to the round on 10 and 11.

“I got off to a dream start, and then I just wasn’t very tight off the tee today, and out here eventually that will hurt you,” he said. “But I battled really well on my second nine. Posting two-under when out here a lot of times for me when I’m a little off I’ve shot over par in the first round and really feel behind. Been driving the ball pretty well. Today was not one of those days, so I’ll go try to tighten it up and hit more fairways tomorrow.” 

That’s always a solid script, but one Spieth rarely follows in his adventurous career.