Friday 24 November 2017 10:13, UK
Jason Day made a bright start on his return to the Emirates Australian Open as Jordan Spieth was hampered by blustery conditions on the opening day in Sydney.
Day took advantage of the more benign, early conditions as he carded a five-under 66 to lie three shots behind leader Cameron Davis, while Spieth opened the defence of his title with an erratic 70 as the wind picked up for the later starters.
After starting at the 10th, Day got up and running with birdies at 11 and 12 before picking up another at the 14th, although a wild drive into the trees at the next cost him a bogey.
But Day, playing in his home national championship for the first time in four years, got back on track with a birdie at 18 and two more followed at the second and third holes.
The world No 12 added another at the seventh to get to six under, although his chances of ending the day in the outright lead were damaged when his got into trouble at the eighth and ran up a double-bogey six.
However, the home favourite ended his round on a high with his eighth birdie of the day at the ninth, and he said: "I made a couple of mistakes out there with some swings, but made eight birdies and finished at five-under, which is a good start to the week.
"I think it would have been a little bit disappointing if I came out this morning and shot an even-par round. I think it's definitely out there to shoot a deep one. You need to come out and capitalise when there's no wind, because it's very warm in the morning, the ball's starting to go a lot further in the mornings and there's no wind."
Spieth dropped shots at the opening two holes before recovering with six birdies, although he also carded three further bogeys as he slipped seven strokes adrift of the leader.
"I take a lot of pride in bounce-back stats, coming back and making a birdie after a bad hole. I did that, but then I was on the other end of it," said Spieth, who managed to get under the card for the day when he rolled in a 20-foot putt for birdie at the last.
"I bogeyed just about every hole after I made a birdie. Fortunately, we finished on 18 with a birdie and I can't bogey the 19th hole!"
Davis led the way with a superb 63 in the morning session as he got off to a flying start with birdies at six of the first seven holes and, after a lone bogey of the day at the ninth, he cruised home in 33 to hit the top of the leaderboard.
Day is tied for third and is one of 25 Australians in the top 25, but it was another tough day for former Masters champion Mike Weir as he made only one birdie in a six-over 77.
