Major Names Sit Atop Travelers Championship Leaderboard

CROMWELL, CT — The opening round of the Travelers Championship finished with two players with a combined five major titles tied for the lead, with a four-time major champion just one stroke behind.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth and former Masters and British Open titleholder Zach Johnson each carded a 7-under par 63 to claim co-ownership of the lead after Thursday's opening round. Rory McIlroy, holder of four major championships, is a stroke back at 64, tied with Brian Harman and Peter Malnati.

Johnson teed off at 8 a.m., actually completing his round before Spieth and McIlroy started in the afternoon. He birdied holes 4 and 5, going out in 33, then ran off six straight birdies from holes 11 through 16 before three-putting for bogey on 17 to finish the back nine in 30.

Spieth, the defending champion, and McIlroy were featured in back-to-back marquee groups, so each was fully aware of how the other was faring. Spieth birdied 3 and 5 before posting an eagle at 6, then birdied 11, 13 and 14 before hitting his tee shot into the lake at the drivable par-4 15th and making bogey. He rebounded with a birdie at 16.

McIlroy got off to a hot start with birdies at 1, 2, 4 and 6, making the turn in 31. He then birdied 13, 14 and 15 before his lone hiccup, a bogey at the finishing hole.

Paul Casey, who lost in a playoff to Bubba Watson at the 2015 Travelers, heads a group of three players who shot 65. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, defending PGA Championship titleholder Justin Thomas and 2015 PGA champion Jason Day are among 14 players at 66.

Watson, who won his first PGA TOUR event in Cromwell in 2010 and captured the Masters in 2012 and 2014, ended the first round at even-par 70.

Other major championship winners in the field are:

• 68 (-2): Keegan Bradley, Brooks Koepka, Webb Simpson, Geoff Ogilvy
• 69 (-1): Jim Furyk
• 72 (+2): Patrick Reed, Graeme McDowell
• 75 (+5): Retief Goosen, Chad Campbell

Past Travelers Championship winners hoping to repeat their glory at the TPC River Highlands are:

• 68 (-2): J.J. Henry, Kevin Streelman, Hunter Mahan, Stewart Cink
• 70 (E): Ken Duke
• 73 (+3): Russell Knox
• 74 (+4): Marc Leishman

Click here for complete Round 1 results, and here for Friday's tee times.

Photo credit: Tim Jensen

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