Two Tied for Lead at RBC Heritage; Spieth Opens with 74


Matt Every and Graeme McDowell each fired 5-under 66s to take a share of the 18-hole lead at the RBC Heritage. The $5.9 million PGA Tour event got underway Thursday at a cold and windy Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

Every, a 31-year-old Floridian whose two career titles both came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2014 and this year, started the round on the 10th tee. After posting two birdies and bogey on his front nine, he had four birdies coming home.

McDowell, a 35-year-old Northern Irishman who now makes his home in Orlando, posted six birdies and a bogey to match Every atop the leaderboard.

"Got off to a slow start but played really well after that," said McDowell. The 2010 U.S. Open champion was impressed with the condition of the course, especially considering that it had received 2½ inches of rain before the start of the tournament.

"The golf course took the rain very well. I couldn't believe how the greens were dried out," said McDowell, winner of the 2013 RBC Heritage. "You have to stay patient here; you have to position the ball well. Some good memories here. But I've got a long way to go."

One stroke back on the par-71 layout was South Korea's Sangmoon Bae, while sharing fourth after 68s were defending champion Matt Kuchar and fellow Americans Kevin Kisner, Scott Langley and Morgan Hoffman, and Australian Cameron Smith.

Kuchar was paired Thursday with newly crowned Masters' champion Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, who shot a 74 and 71, respectively. After recording four birdies and a bogey, Kuchar said of his round during a TV interview, "It was good. All in all, I played well."

The 36-year-old seven-time Tour winner also recognized the efforts of Spieth, who didn't even play a practice round - or hole - before teeing off Thursday. "I also have to commend Jordan for being here," added Kuchar.

"There was amazing energy out there. It was amazing to see the amount of support he got," Kuchar said. "What he's done - first, second, second, first (in Spieth's last four starts) - I think it's awesome what he's done."

Spieth's inability to play Harbour Town before the first round was due to a whirlwind New York City media tour following his donning of a new green jacket Sunday night in Augusta. He made 25 appearances in less than 24 hours, including an appearance on the David Letterman Show.

On Thursday the 21-year-old from Dallas hit only six of 16 fairways en route to a 3-over 74 that listed just one birdie, two bogeys and a double on the par-3 14th.

Spieth, who had already committed to the tournament and would not back out despite overcoming the world's best players and the intensity of Augusta National, where he won the 79th Masters by finishing at a record-tying 18-under 270, said later, "I didn't drive the ball well, chipping and putting wasn't there. This was an off-day. Little disappointed, but just have to come back tomorrow and do better.

"There's no excuses," added Spieth, who on Monday moved to No. 2 in the world behind Rory McIlroy. "I should have shot a better round today. Kucher is older than me and he's also been on a four-week stretch and he kicked my butt today."

The fans, lined five-deep following Spieth, Kuchar and Reed, seemed to get excited about everything Spieth did, good or bad. "People were cheering everything," he quipped good-naturedly. "I hit a couple of bad shots and they cheered. I said 'Thanks - just hit a terrible shot.' "

Tied for ninth following 69s was a big group that included Americans Troy Merritt, John Merrick, Ben Martin, Pat Perez, Johnson Wagner, Ricky Barnes, Jim Renner, Bo Van Pelt and Charlie Beljan, England's Ian Poulter, Canada's Graham Delaet, South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and The Netherlands' Joost Luiten.

Poulter was happy with his performance given the tough conditions. "I think that it (score) was very good," the 39-year-old told PGATour.com. "Last night's storm dropped a lot of rain, but it didn't seem to soften up the greens too much. The wind I think has dried them out slightly.

"There was a strong breeze today, exposed on the back nine," Poulter added. "A few holes coming in played real, real tricky. Even 18, (which) was moved 45 yards up, it was still driver, 3-iron to the par-4 hole alongside Calibogue Sound. So those holes are tricky."

Wagner had the shot of the day when his approach from 164 yards on the par-4 11th found the cup for an eagle.

Other scores included a 74 by two-time RBC Heritage winner Boo Weekley.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.