(Reuters) - Former PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley converted several crucial putts to grab a share of the first-round lead at the Valspar Championship on Thursday while Jordan Spieth's title defense got off to a horrendous start.
Bradley, who had to transition to a non-anchored putter when a ban went into effect this year, mixed five birdies with one bogey for a four-under-par 67 that put him in a three-way tie with Charles Howell III and Ken Duke.
They led fellow American Chesson Hadley by one stroke, while Spieth fell nine strokes behind as he struggled on greens that he said were among the slowest he had ever encountered on the PGA Tour.