NORTON, Massachusetts – Brendon de Jonge described 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 conditions 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 scoring wasn’t. And then, obviously, everything today sort of clicked.”
Jason Day, needing a victory 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 US 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 Masters and US Open champion had eight bogeys in a round of 75, matching his highest start of the year. 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.