Spieth fires bogey-free 63 to share lead with Spaun at Byron Nelson

One week before playing for a career Grand Slam, hometown hero Jordan Spieth fired a bogey-free nine-under par 63 Thursday to share the lead at the US PGA Byron Nelson tournament.

Three-time major winner Spieth sank a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th at TPC Craig Ranch to match American JJ Spaun atop the leaderboard after 18 holes at McKinney, Texas.

“It broke left to right at the beginning and the rest of it was straight,” Spieth said of his final shot. “I’m just trying to get to tap-in and cap off a good day, and I kind of started leaning because I thought it was going to miss left and it just kind of fell in the left side of the hole.”

It was a sizzling start for the 27-year-old Dallas native, who will try to complete a career Grand Slam next week by winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Spieth snapped a four-year win drought dating back to the 2017 British Open by capturing the Texas Open last month, winning the week before the Masters, where he shared third.

Spectators were backing Spieth and unleashed a massive roar when he dropped the final putt.

“I think late in the round they got some swing juice in them, and that certainly had something to do with it,” Spieth said.

Spaun, seeking his first PGA title, began on the back nine and sank nine birdies, none of them from beyond just over six feet.

Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello shared third on 64 with Americans Aaron Wise, Doc Redman and Joseph Bramlett.

A pack on 65 included England’s Luke Donald, Spain’s Sergio Garcia, Irishman Seamus Power and South African Charl Schwartzel.

Spieth sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the opening hole, went on to birdie four of the first six holes and made another at the par-5 ninth from just outside six weeks.

He tapped in or birdie at the par-5 12th, sank a six-footer to birdie 13 and made four pars before his closing eagle.

First round walking: Spieth was out for four weeks after the Masters, half of the time after contracting Covid-19.

“First round walking since the Masters,” Spieth said. “I noticed it in my legs. It’s just one of those things.

“For me I noticed it in my swings coming down the stretch. Just got lazy in my lower body. On 18 I just said, This is the last one you got to do today. Let’s give it everything you got, and roasted a 3-wood and capped it off with the putt.”

Two-way tie: Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre was ready for another late-night session on the PlayStation after earning a share of the lead after two rounds of the British Masters on Thursday.

MacIntyre birdied the first five holes at The Belfry en route to carding a second round score of 66.

The 24-year-old left-hander is level with fellow Scot Calum Hill and English veteran Richard Bland on seven under par.

Eddie Pepperell, the 2018 British Masters winner, Julien Guerrier and Justin Harding are all on six under.

“I was in free flow,” MacIntyre said of his flying start. “For me it felt beautiful. That could have been a crazy score.

“I still missed quite a few chances but that’s Golf. If I can shoot 66-66 at the weekend playing like that you would take that.”

Asked if he had felt the pressure of being the top-ranked player in the field this week, the world number 45 added: “Not at all. After this (interview) I will hit a few balls, might grab room service and then I bring my PlayStation everywhere I go, so I will be on that for a couple of hours with my pals.

Agence france-Presse