Despite ‘really bad contact,’ Jordan Spieth fires 67 at Valero Texas Open

It should come as no surprise that Jordan Spieth is leading the Valero Texas Open. Few have played better – if not won – over the last two months than Spieth.

He has three top-4 finishes in his last six starts, as well as a T-9 at last week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Thursday at TPC San Antonio, Spieth made seven birdies and two bogeys for a 5-under 67. He was in the lead when he signed his card, but, even so, he wasn’t fully pleased with his game.

Valero Texas Open: Full-field scores | Full coverage

“I had really bad contact today,” Spieth said after his round. “Normally, even if I don’t necessarily strike the ball well, normally I’m hitting it close to the middle of the face.

“I’ve got all afternoon to figure that out on the range.”

Beginning on the back nine, Spieth birdied three of his first five holes. Following a bogey at the 16th, he wrapped up his opening nine holes with back-to-back birdies and then added a sixth birdie of the day at the par-3 third.

He finished his round with a birdie at No. 8 and a bogey at the ninth. Though Spieth hit only six of 14 fairways and nine of 18 greens, his wedge game served him well.

“Yeah, other than 9, I wedged it really well today,” he said. “Wedged it better than I did the last couple of events and chipped the ball really well. I didn’t have much stress for par after missing greens.”

Regardless of how he hits in Round 2, Spieth believe he will need another 67, at least, to keep pace.

“Yeah, I mean, 5 under around this track’s a good score. I’d take four more of them,” he said. “I think tomorrow afternoon it’s going to be as challenging as it was this morning, if not more, when we have a little breeze picking up, so I’ll be probably chasing somebody around 10 under and just trying to hit fairways and greens.”