Jordan Spieth stumbles to a 74 in first round of RBC Heritage

Jordan Spieth had a post-Masters letdown Thursday in Hilton Head, S.C., shooting a three-over-par 74 during the first round of the RBC Heritage to end his run of 16 consecutive rounds under par.

Spieth vowed his whirlwind, two-day celebration tour of New York after winning the green jacket Sunday wouldn’t affect his focus. But it was apparent early on at Harbour Town that Spieth was not at his best.

The 21-year-old Texan was eight shots behind leaders Graeme McDowell and Matt Every, who were at five-under 66. Spieth will need significant improvement Friday to make his eighth consecutive cut.

“I didn’t drive the ball well, didn’t particularly strike my irons well. My chipping and putting weren’t there,” he said. “It was just an off day.”

He got into Sea Pines Resort late Tuesday night after some 25 appearances and interviews in New York, including an appearance with David Letterman and seeing the view atop the Empire State Building. He acknowledged his preparation this week had suffered, but vowed not to have the major hangover several champions have when playing so soon after such success.

Spieth entered the week with four straight top-two finishes, also winning the Valspar Championship in a playoff at Innisbrock, finishing second in the Texas Open and losing in a playoff in the Houston Open.

Sangmoon Bae was third at 67, and defending champion Matt Kuchar topped the group at 68.

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Sei Young Kim shot her second straight five-under 67 for a share of the lead with fellow South Korean player I.K. Kim halfway through the second round of the breezy Lotte Championship in Kapolei, Hawaii.

Sei Young Kim, the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic winner in February in her second start as an LPGA Tour member, began the round two strokes behind I.K. Kim. Sei Young Kim bogeyed her opening hole at Ko Olina, rallied with four birdies before the turn and added three straight birdies on her second nine.

I.K. Kim fell back with bogey at the ninth, but charged into a share of the lead with birdies at Nos. 14 and 15. The three-time LPGA Tour champion had a 69.

South Korean players held the top five spots. Third-ranked Inbee Park (70) was three shots back, and Chella Choi (68) and Jenny Shin (70) were tied for fourth at six under.

Defending champion Michelle Wie was tied for sixth at 5 under after a 69 in her home event.

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Huang Wenyi, a former laborer from China who didn’t start playing golf until he was 22, shot a six-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead in the Shenzhen International in China.

The 34-year-old Huang had eight birdies and two bogeys at Genzon Golf Club. American Peter Uihlein was tied for second with Chile’s Felipe Aguilar, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and South Korea’s Byeong Hun An. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson opened with a 70.