Lee takes first-round lead at Firestone
Graeme McDowell and Jordan Spieth were in good spirits Thursday at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, which was good news for only one of them.
McDowell has been in such a rut that he has fallen out of the top 50 for the first time in five years and hasn’t finished in the top 10 in America since playing this World Golf Championship a year ago. So he happily went along at Firestone South making five birdies in 10 holes on his way to a 4-under 66.
That left him one shot behind Danny Lee, who got his mistakes out of the way early and played a flawless front nine to lead the first round with a 65.
“I like this version of me today,” McDowell said. “It’s been a rough year, no doubt about it. Definitely been some time for reflection and some questions being asked of myself. It’s how you answer the questions and how you come out the other side, really.
“I feel like I’ll know what to do when I get back there, but it’s all about the process of getting there now,” he said. “So days like today will certainly help in that direction. I’ve got to keep doing it.”
Spieth was playing for the first time since he missed the British Open playoff by one shot, ending his bid at the Grand Slam. He expected a little rust. What concerned him was a sloppy start that was missing some of his fire. Walking up the fourth fairway, he said he told his caddie, “I need to get a little bit inspired right now.”
He made a bogey on par-5 second hole, the easiest at Firestone. His shot from the rough on No. 3 clipped some branches, and for a minute Spieth thought it might go in the water and lead to double bogey. It barely made the green and he got par.
Sucher leads Barracuda Championship: Zack Sucher took the first-round lead in the Barracuda Championship, scoring 18 points in the PGA Tour’s only modified Stableford event.
Sucher had nine birdies in his bogey-free round at Montreux Golf and Country Club for three-point lead over Patrick Rodgers. Under the modified Stableford format, players receive 8 points for double eagle, 5 for eagle, 2 for birdie, 0 for par, minus-1 for bogey and minus-3 for double bogey or worse.
Rodgers had eight birdies and a bogey.
Ricky Barnes was third with 14 points, and David Toms and J.J. Henry followed at 13.
Washington’s Steve Wheatcroft is tied for 87th place with two points. Wheatcroft finished his round with a birdie on the 616-yard No. 18. He reached the green in only two shots.