Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson in contention at Houston Open
Saturday 2 April 2016 16:47, UK
Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson gave themselves plenty of encouragement ahead of The Masters after both got off to excellent starts at the Shell Houston Open.
Reigning Masters champion Spieth hit back from an uncertain run of form with a solid performance at last week's WGC-Dell Match Play, and he continued to impress with a five-under 65 featuring six birdies and just one dropped shot on a low scoring opening day.
Spieth got up and running with a sublime chip in for birdie at the second, and he converted a pure approach to four feet at the next before picking up further shots at the sixth and eighth holes.
A pulled drive into rough cost him a bogey at the 10th, but he rolled in consecutive birdie putts from just outside 12 feet at the 14th and 15th and parred in to stay three shots off the lead.
Charley Hoffman emerged as the outright leader after two remarkable runs, starting with four birdies in five holes from the 10th before reeling off four in a row after the turn as he returned a superb 64.
Johnson is one further behind after an eagle-birdie finish capped his 65, which also featured six other birdies and two bogeys as he joined Roberto Castro, Scott Brown and Morgan Hoffmann on seven under.
"Overall, it was a great day," Johnson told PGA Tour Radio. "I made just two bogeys and one of them was a mud ball on five. I hit a good shot, just mud took it left and got a kind of a bad lie there left of the green and I didn't get up and down.
"I had a penalty shot on the 13th (his fourth). Other than that, I felt like I played really solid today and holed some nice putts."
US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III rolled back the years as he matched Spieth's 67, recovering from a bogey at the first with five birdies in seven holes on the front nine.
Phil Mickelson, who is preparing for his 24th visit to Augusta National, managed a 69 despite finding water three times, while Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel were also three under for the day.
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