World No.2 Jordan Spieth admits he has work to do at the PGA Championship if he is to keep his grand slam dream alive.
After adding last month's British Open to his 2015 Masters and US Open titles, Spieth left himself an uphill battle to claim all four of golf's majors after a lacklustre opening round at Quail Hollow on Thursday with play still under way.
The 24-year-old American shot a one-over-par 72 to leave himself five back of clubhouse leader Thorbjorn Olesen, who fired a 67 to set the pace at four-under.
Spieth is aiming to beat Tiger Woods by almost seven months as the youngest player to win all four majors, with Woods achieving that feat aged 24 years, seven months at the 2000 British Open.
Texas native Spieth, a two-time Australian Open champion, is confident of making up ground in Friday's second round.
"Given today was only the first round, I know I'm still in it but I know that (Friday) becomes that much more important to stay in it," he said on Thursday.
"I've got to make up ground; if I'm five back at the start of the day, I've got to be less than five back after Friday to really feel like I am still able to win."
Spieth, who ranks third on the US PGA Tour for putts per hole with an average of 1.709, blamed a poor display on the greens for his 72.
"I can't putt any worse than I did today," said Spieth. "But I drove the ball well."
Spieth has been consulting legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps as he attempts to join Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen as the only golfers to complete the career grand slam.
Phelps, the record holder for Olympic gold medals (23), was in the gallery at Quail Hollow to watch Spieth.
"He's become a good friend and mentor," Spieth said. "It's pretty awesome to have a mentor like that (for) a lot of mental approach and preparation stuff."
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