Jordan Spieth energised at East Lake after early playoff lapse

Jordan Spieth, a world beater earlier this year, appeared frustrated, out of sorts and out of steam as the PGA Tour`s FedExCup playoffs got underway.

The Texan missed cuts at the first two events of the season-ending series - The Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship - and when he got to the Tour Championship finale at East Lake was worried about how he was hitting and putting the ball.

But after a bogey-free four-under-par 66 on Friday that vaulted him into second place, three shots behind leader Henrik Stenson of Sweden, the 22-year-old Spieth was bursting with positive energy.

"It was not pretty, tee to green for me," said Spieth, who won the first two majors this year -- the Masters and U.S. Open."But around the greens I feel comfortable on Bermuda (grass), this is exactly the stuff I grew up on. It`s as comfortable as I feel all year. I love the greens here, I love the tough rough and the bunkers."

Spieth especially loves sinking putts, and he began doing that on Friday, starting with a 17-foot, par-saving putt at the par-three sixth.

"When I stood over the putt on six, I felt very, very comfortable, even though it was a longer par putt," he said.

"I just felt a little bit better over the ball than I have recently and throughout the rest of the round it really felt that way."

SHORT-GAME SKILLS

Spieth needed only 23 putts and, despite hitting only nine greens in regulation, he used his short-game skills to avoid bogey.

"If we can hit a few more greens and not rely on nine-for-nine, that would be fantastic," he said. "To shoot four-under hitting nine greens is another thing that I can take as a positive."

Spieth followed his two major triumphs with a tie for fourth at the British Open, one shot from joining a playoff, and a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship to red-hot Jason Day.

Then came a slide.

"Maybe just a little bit of mental fatigue. I don`t know," Spieth said. "I`m not going to throw it to that because by the time I stand on the first tee, I`ve got plenty of adrenaline and excitement and I love competing, so it`s still there.

"But I think that mistakes wear on me a little bit. They have worn on me a little quicker recently. Today it wasn`t the case."

A revived Spieth wants to win the Tour Championship and the $10 million FedExCup prize that would come with it.

"When you know that the course is a bit harder ... it`s easier to stay patient," he said. "So that`s why I like playing on challenging golf courses.

"Hopefully nobody goes nuts this weekend and if somebody does, it`s me."