Page 19 - ATD 05September,2015

SPORTS A19
Day, Spieth rolling in opposite directions at TPC Boston
DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
NORTON, Mass. (AP) —
Brendon de Jonge de-
scribed his opening round
Friday at the Deutsche
Bank Championship as
coming out of nowhere.
Jordan Spieth’s start — his
third straight round over
par — was becoming far
too familiar for him.
De Jonge ran off seven
birdies in calming condi-
tions at the TPC Boston for
a 6-under 65 that gave him
a two-shot lead over nine
players, including Rickie
Fowler, Henrik Stenson and
Luke Donald.
“It’s been a tough stretch
for me the last couple of
months, unfortunately,” de
Jonge said. “I felt like my
game was OK, but the scor-
ing wasn’t. And then, obvi-
ously, everything today sort
of clicked.”
Jason Day, needing a vic-
tory to become No. 1 in
the world for the first time,
reached 5 under until two
bogeys over his final five
holes. He had a 68 and
was right in the mix. Rory
McIlroy, back at No. 1 and
playing for only the second
time since the U.S. Open
because of an ankle injury,
had a 70.
The shocker was Spieth.
He was visibly irritated just
an hour into his round after
two poor irons shots set up
bogeys, and his day never
got much better. The Mas-
ters and U.S. Open cham-
pion had eight bogeys in
a round of 75, matching
his highest start of the year. strong at times in the morn-
Coming off a missed cut at
The Barclays, he goes into
Friday in a tie for 80th. It
was the first time since June
2014 that Spieth has had
three straight rounds over
par.
He left without speaking to
reporters.
De Jonge played on the
Presidents Cup team two
Saturday 5 September 2015

years ago, though he Jordan Spieth hits out of the sand trap on the 11th hole during the first round of the Deutsche Bank
doesn’t consider himself in Championship golf tournament in Norton, Mass., Friday, Sept. 4, 2015.
the mix for the South Korea
matches next month, unless Associated Press
he were to win. And that’s
the one item — winning the greens were very re- that 68 was a decent start. going to make them all.
on the PGA Tour — that re- ceptive,” Mickelson said. He stuffed his approach “I was making everything I
mains on his checklist. “But I played pretty good on No. 10 to 4 feet. He hit looked at, and then it slowly
This would be an ideal golf today. I hit a lot of a towering 4-iron to 10 feet dried up,” Day said. “It was
place. The second FedEx good shots and I hit a few for birdie on the par-3 11th. a very patient day. You
Cup playoff event assures bad ones, but they weren’t He rolled in a 20-foot birdie can’t get out there and
the winner a spot in the top too bad. And it was an OK on No. 12. And when his be so disappointed. Once
five at the season-ending start.” birdie putt caught the lip you’re frustrated you’re go-
Tour Championship and a Day looked like he might on No. 15, Day flipped his ing to make some mental
clear shot at the $10 million birdie them all after three putter into the air in shock. errors and it’s going to be
bonus. holes. Ultimately, he knew He must have felt he was bad for you.”q
Of the players at 67, the
most intriguing was Donald.
A former world No. 1, he first
had to make sure he got
into the top 125 to qualify
for the FedEx Cup playoffs,
and then last week at The
Barclays he had to play his
way from No. 119 into the
top 100 that got into the
TPC Boston. Now at No.
87, the next goal for Don-
ald is to crack the top 70
to get to the third playoff
event north of Chicago at
Conway Farms, his home
course.
“First things first, I’ve got to
get to Conway, which is
obviously a place I’m very
familiar with, my home
course up in Chicago,”
Donald said. “So keep
playing some solid golf I’ll
get there.”
Donald said it was tough
to make birdies, and those
are words rarely spoken on
glorious days such as this
one at the TPC Boston. A
front came through that
made temperatures pleas-
ant, though the wind was
ing and a few pins were on
knobs.
Phil Mickelson, in dire need
of a big week to bolster any
chance of being picked for
the Presidents Cup, had a
pair of three-putt bogeys
and shot 70.
“It was the most challeng-
ing I’ve seen this golf course
play, especially given that