Jordan Spieth recorded a three-under, 68 in the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson to sit five shots off the lead, but he thought he should have gone even lower.
“With a new golf course, if you’re going to play a tournament, you’ve got to be prepared,” Spieth said on Friday. “I legitimately felt like I lost a couple of shots yesterday on the back nine because I didn’t come out here and see it. That was eating at me a little bit last night. Like, ‘Why would you play if you’re not going to prepare the right way?’”
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Fast forward to his second round on Friday and Spieth certainly took advantage of knowing the course after his first round.
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Jordan Spieth of the United States reacts after missing a putt on the ninth green during the second round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2026 at TPC Craig Ranch on May 22, 2026 in McKinney, Texas.
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The beloved golfer fired a nine-under, 62 to vault up the leaderboard into a tie for seventh place. Even though he shot nine-under on the day, Spieth actually moved further away from the lead after Si-Woo Kim carded an 11-under, 60 on Friday that could have been even better if he hadn’t bogeyed his final hole.
For Spieth, though, it was a move in the right direction as he seeks his first win since 2022.
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The three-time major champion tees off on Saturday alongside Keith Mitchell and Tyler Duncan at 12:23 p.m. ET.
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