It's going to be difficult for Jordan Spieth to successfully defend last year's victory at the Valspar Championship. The 22-year-old uncharacteristically logged multiple bogeys on the front nine and has fallen to the bottom of the field early on in the tournament.
Instead, another youngster by the name of Daniel Berger (-1) is making a case early on to win his first PGA Tour event and keep the Valspar in the hands of those 22 and younger. Spieth was 21 years old when he won the event last season.
However, veteran Keegan Bradley and Ken Duke lead the way with a score of four-under and they're trailed by Charley Hoffman (-2) and Berger. Spieth bogeyed five holes on the front nine and finished the round five-over par. He was the favorite to win the event and Henrik Stenson was a close second. He finished the day at even par.
If Spieth fails to rebound, he could be in danger of missing the cut. He'll need to capitalize during the second round to stand a chance, but it's going to take a efficient performance.
Today he recorded his third straight round over par after carding two 73s in the final two rounds of the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral last week. He finished one under at that event and tied for 17th with Juston Rose and others.
But remember, last year when Spieth won the Valspar he finished just one under after the first round and managed to win the event in a three-hole playoff after tying Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair at 10 under at the end of the four rounds.
Nonetheless, the defending champ's early struggles could open up the door for Berger, who is another promising young pro on the PGA Tour. In 31 events last season, the 22-year-old recorded six top 10 finishes, including two in second place. This year he has yet to finish in the top 10 in his first nine tournaments, but his consistent play Thursday will set him up nicely for the rest of the weekend.
Stay tuned for updates as the Valspar Championship progresses.
