Spieth: I´m still in good shape

World number three Jordan Spieth feels his US PGA Championship campaign is on track after recovering to finish even par at the end of the opening round.

Jimmy Walker headlined day one of the year’s final major, ending Thursday a shot clear of Emiliano Grillo, Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer at five under as Spieth carded a 70.

Spieth’s bid for a third major got off to a shaky start, double-bogeying the par-four seventh hole, though he bounced back to birdie two of his last three, including the 18th at Baltusrol.

Afterwards, Spieth said of his recovery: “It actually got me back in the tournament. I haven’t started off a tournament with a low round to start the tournament in quite a while, which is a bit of a bummer. The same this week.

“I had plenty of chances early to get to three, four under. But I’m only five back. We get fresh greens.

“Not sure, maybe have some start and stopping tomorrow. If I can post something like four or five tomorrow, we’re definitely back in the thick of things.”

Of his birdie at the 16th, ending a run of 15 holes without picking up a shot, Spieth added: “I played that hole absolutely perfectly. I hit a fantastic tee shot down there, past Bubba’s [Watson]. We had that wind as high as it was the whole time. I was in between eight and seven-iron. I went with the eight, when I hit it died down and it flew 170, which is my normal eight-iron.

“In fact, it didn’t get hit by any wind. It was right over the flag stick. All of a sudden it flies 15 yards past. It’s sitting down and that fringe area is almost harder than the rough. Didn’t really know what to play from there because I didn’t have any room past the hole.

“So we almost knew that that was going to happen, that I was going to leave it short. Really nice to knock that putt in. It was a tough read and one that when I hit it, you look up and I hadn’t made anything all day, so I’m not expecting that one to be on line or at least tracking and it was and it was a good feeling.”