Jordan Spieth believes Friday's expected weather change at Royal Troon will enable him to make up ground at the British Open.
Spieth, winner of the Masters and the U.S. Open in 2015, settled for an opening 71 on Thursday. His birdies on Nos. 4, 6 and 17 were canceled out by bogeys on the ninth, 11th and 18th.
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"I struck the ball tremendously just couldn't quite match up the speed and line," Spieth told a media conference. "[It's] unfortunate to happen in a tournament round where I'm giving myself a lot of looks at birdie but if that's what's off, that's a lot better than anything else, I can get that back on."
With rain and southwesterly winds forecast, Spieth conceded he will be unable to be aggressive on the front nine but expects the weather to help him pull closer to the leaders. Patrick Reed was Thursday's early leader at 5 under.
"It just seemed like it didn't want to go in the hole once I got on the greens," Spieth said. "Number 11, I hit a fantastic putt. If I hit another five times in a row on the exact same speed, same line it probably goes in three out of the five.
"With the greens the speed they are and the grass a little taller than what we're used to, the ball kind of wiggles a little bit. That can mean it wiggles in for you or out for you."
Spieth is scheduled to begin his second round at 9:04 a.m. ET, in a threesome with Justin Rose and Shane Lowry.