Spieth struggles at the Sony Open

Honolulu: Jordan Spieth has played good golf in the opening round of the Sony Open each of the last two years and has little to show for it.

Both times, he wound up six shots out of the lead, for different reasons.

He opened with a 65 last year, a good score except when compared with another guy in his group — Justin Thomas — who shot a 59.

Spieth made eight birdies on Thursday and was still six shots behind, this time from one hole.

He had a snowman — 8 — on his card. In Hawaii, no less.

He had to settle for a 69, thanks to a beautiful chip over the bunker to inches from the cup on his last hole at the par-5 ninth for a birdie. It left him closer to the cut line than to the co-leaders, Zach Johnson and Chris Kirk, who kept clean cards in their rounds of 7-under 63.