Valspar Championship 2014: Jordan Spieth three shots back of leaders

After 18 holes in Tampa, a quartet of players sit atop the leaderboard of the Valspar Championship. Two Americans -- Matt Every and Pat Perez -- are joined by Aussie Greg Chalmers and Kiwi Danny Lee at 3-under.

The wind was up on Thursday at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook, with it gusting around 30 mph on a cold day in Tampa. The morning draw definitely got the unlucky spot for the opening round, as temperatures were in the 40s to start the day and the players broke out the hats and gloves. The scoring conditions improved a bit for the afternoon wave, but Copperhead is not one of those weekly stops where some lesser players stack up birdies to runaway with it. By scoring average, it was one of the toughest courses on the rota last season and a 3-under 68 isn’t exactly lighting it up for the lead.

Every did most of his work coming into the house at the end of his round, carding birdies on three of his final four holes to get in the red. He’s the only player in the lead who was out in the morning, so he’s in good position after playing through the tougher conditions and will have to hope he gets the good side of the draw Friday.

Bill Haas is probably the most decorated player on the first page of the leaderboard, one shot back at 2-under. Haas also got his round going late and is looking for his sixth Tour win in the last five years. The biggest names in the field are all still within striking distance, holding on around even-par. Luke Donald, Justin Rose, and Jordan Spieth are all right at even, and Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson, and Ernie Els are all one back of that. Spieth was out early and avoided the big crooked numbers to set himself up for a low round on Friday. It was at this event last year that he earned the special temporary status that catapulted his historic rookie season as a 19-year old.

This event doesn’t have the loaded field of the other three stops on the Florida swing, but the recent winners have been recognizable names and none of those guys blew up in the cold weather on Thursday. Here’s the leaderboard after 18 holes: