SYDNEY (AP) -- Last year, Jordan Spieth played what he called the best round of his life by shooting a record 8-under 63 to win the Australian Open by six strokes.
A year later, under similarly tough conditions at the Australian Golf Club, the 22-year-old American, now a two-time major and Tour Championship winner, found the going much more difficult, shooting an even-par 71 that left him five strokes behind surprise first-round leader Lincoln Tighe of Australia.
''China was really wet and the Tour Championship was very tough playing in the rain,'' Spieth said, referring to the rainy HSBC Champions tournament he played in Shanghai earlier this month.