PALM HARBOR, Florida — Jordan Spieth holed out three times from off the green to banish any thoughts of missing the cut in the second round at the Valspar Championship here Friday.
The defending champion, in danger of an early exit after an opening 76, bounced back with a three-under-par 68 on the Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.
Spieth ended the day equal 43rd, seven strokes behind halfway leaders Steve Stricker (66) and Will MacKenzie (67).
World No. 1 Spieth made a poor start to his second round, running up a bogey six at the opening hole after yanking his drive into an unplayable lie. But it was nearly all positive after that as he compiled five birdies to go with just one more bogey, twice chipping in and once using his putter to hole out from the fringe.
“Today was all about the cut,” a relieved Spieth told reporters. “I actually did pretty well to make six (at the first hole). I thought it was really strong what we did after that. For the first 20 holes to be at six-over and we finished at two-over, (there are) only positives going forward.”
Spieth also expressed disappointment at the PGA Tour for posting a quote, since deleted, on their Twitter feed after the first round.
The quote — “what good is kicking the door other than hurting my foot (and having) to withdraw” — sounded innocuous enough, but Spieth thought that in isolation it made it seem as though he was unfazed whether he played the weekend.
“I was a little upset,” he said. “It made it seem like I was OK with getting hurt and withdrawing. I was frustrated with that.”
Atop the leaderboard, meanwhile, were part-time player Stricker and the quotable MacKenzie set the halfway pace at five-under 137, one stroke ahead of fellow American Daniel Berger and Canadian Graham DeLaet.
Stricker, 49, who spends more time deer hunting than playing golf these days, jump-started his round when he bagged an eagle from 150 yards at the par-four 10th.
Hend retains lead
Scott Hend of Australia shot a 70 to retain the lead after the third round of the Thailand Classic on the par-72 Black Mountain Golf Course.
The 43-year-old Hend produced five birdies for a three day total of 14 under-par 202 to take a two-shot advantage Saturday over Peter Uihlein of the United States.
“I knew it was going to be a tough day, very windy so I’m very pleased,” said Hend, in search of his eight Asian Tour title.
Uihlein, the first-round leader, shot four birdies for a 69 and 12-under-par 204. Belgium’s Thomas Pieters scored the lowest round, a bogey-free 66 for a three-day total of 205 to share third place with Sweden’s Pelle Edberg.
