after winning five times -- including two majors and the Tour Championship -- in 2015.His victories at Kapalua and the Colonial are certainly nothing to be ashamed of, b

ATLANTA -- Jordan Spieth is up for a challenge, but not this kind.He started his round Thursday on the first hole at East Lake Golf Club with a bogey. Then just to show it wasnt a fluke, he made a double-bogey at the second hole.Two holes into the season-ending Tour Championship, and the defending champion was 3 over par.No, no small part of it, he said after rebounding to shoot 2-under-par 68. I like being in the position after Saturday of last year, being in the last [group]. Thats obviously the position we want to be in.Spieth didnt quite get there, but he did well to rebound from a rough start to find himself just 2 strokes off the lead held by Dustin Johnson, Kevin Chappell and Hideki Matsuyama.Like Spieth, Rory McIlroy also did well to get himself back in the mix. After birdeing three straight holes on the front nine, McIlroy made back-to-back double-bogeys at the seventh and eighth holes. He shot 31 on the back side for a 68 and a seventh-place tie with Spieth, Paul Casey and Justin Thomas.Its easy to sort of remind yourself theres such a long way to go; 72-hole tournaments are long, McIlroy said. A lot of things can happen. A lot of holes to play. I was 4 over through three when I won in Boston [at the Deutsche Bank Championship] a couple of weeks ago.So I just have to look back at that and realize how much can change over the course of a few days.Both Spieth, ranked fourth in the world, and McIlroy, ranked third, have plenty to prove this week.With the Ryder Cup looming next week in Minnesota, they are looking to get or keep their game sharp. But as it pertains to the Tour Championship, there is a good bit at stake.Both players came into the tournament outside of the top five in the re-set FedEx Cup points, meaning a victory will not assure them of the FedEx Cup. Spieth took the honor last year; McIlroy, despite incredible seasons in both 2012 and 2014, has never won the PGA Tours season-long honor.I look at what Rory did at Deutsche Bank, Spieth said about his turnaround. He was 3 over through four holes and ends up winning by a couple of shots at 18 under. I feel if I play really solid golf here -- and it doesnt have to be perfect golf -- I can shoot 8 under on this golf course. I have no doubt. It fits me really well. I feel like I have an advantage here. I knew if we could get it back to even par and in the red for the day after the first two holes, that would be really special and wed still have a chance to win.Spieth has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, as he has had to fight the perception that this has been a down year after winning five times -- including two majors and the Tour Championship -- in 2015.His victories at Kapalua and the Colonial are certainly nothing to be ashamed of, but Spieth has mostly been on the outside looking in over the past few months. Still, a victory here would be a huge boost, and all of a sudden, three wins and the Tour Championship looks quite strong.For McIlroy, there have been two worldwide wins, the latest a few weeks ago in the playoffs, his first on the PGA Tour in more than a year.When I get it going, I can really run with it, and then when it goes the other way, I sort of struggle to get out of it a little bit, McIlroy said. But I think thats just the nature of the way my game is right now and sort of the way it has been for most of the year.But I think Im seeing more good in it, which is great, and Im holing some putts, and Im making birdies. As long as I can continue to do that, try to just cut out some of the other stuff, and I should be OK. Stitched Jerseys . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. http://www.nfljerseyschina.net/ . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. 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