Masters letdown? Spieth's 62 proves otherwise

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- If Friday's round proved anything, it proved you should believe Jordan Spieth when he tells you he's not tired.

On the heels of a disappointing 3-over-par 74 in Thursday's first round, the 21-year-old Masters champion electrified the galleries at Harbour Town on Friday, shooting a 9-under 62 that was one shot off the tournament record.

Even though Spieth is arguably the top player in the world right now -- he's second in the Official World Golf Rankings behind Rory McIlroy -- it was hard to see this coming.

After Thursday's disappointing start, one newspaper even ran with this headline: "Major letdown."

But after his first round, Spieth insisted he wasn't tired. He simply played bad golf.

If his golf on Thursday didn't match the enthusiasm of the large galleries that followed Spieth, it more than exceeded the expectations of the even bigger galleries on Friday.

"It was just better golf," he said after his round. "I told you guys yesterday, no excuses. I just played poorly. Obviously, I would have liked to have been more prepared. That wasn't the case."

In fact, Spieth said he didn't sleep as well Thursday night as he did the night before. Instead of rest, it was a slight adjustment he needed.

Spieth said Friday he made a small change in his ball position on the range, and it "made a world of difference."

So much of a difference he managed to overshadow his playing partner, Matt Kuchar, who at the time led the tournament, and even Troy Merritt, whose 10-under-par 61 bested Spieth's round by a shot and tied the course record.

Merritt made history. But, fairly or not, Spieth is the story.

Spieth said that once he realized he was having a special round, he changed his focus a bit.

"Let's just try and catch Kooch now," he told caddie Michael Greller.

He didn't catch him, but he put him firmly within reach, totaling nine birdies while not making bogey to close within two shots of the defending champion.

And if the galleries Thursday and Friday were some of the biggest Harbour Town has ever seen, Saturday and Sunday should be off the chain with Spieth in contention.

Now that Spieth has shown that he really isn't running on empty, backing up what he said Thursday, it might be wise for everyone to remember something he said Wednesday before the tournament even started.

"I don't plan on having a hangover tournament," he told reporters. "I feel like this course is a good course for me.

"I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think I could win this week."

This article was written by Mike McCombs from The Island Packet Online and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.