NORTON, Mass. — 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 U.S. 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 U.S. Open champion had eight bogeys in a round of 75, matching his highest start of the year.
Day looked like he might birdie them all after three holes. Ultimately, he knew that 68 was a decent start.
He stuffed his approach on No. 10 to 4 feet. He hit a towering 4-iron to 10 feet for birdie on the par-3 11th. He rolled in a 20-foot birdie on No. 12. And when his birdie putt caught the lip on No. 15, Day flipped his putter into the air in shock. He must have felt he was going to make them all.
Thumbnail photo via Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports Images
