NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) — Jordan Spieth's bid to complete the career Grand Slam with a victory at the PGA Championship got off to a mixed start Thursday.

After making the turn at 1 under, Spieth birdied three of the first six holes on the front nine, his back, and was tied with the early leaders at 3 under before consecutive bogeys at Nos. 7 and 8 slowed his charge. He settled for a 1-under 69 and was still in contention with three rounds left.

"I struck the ball well," said Spieth, who is making his 10th try at completing the Slam. "I was in a good position on a lot of holes. If I drive it like that, I'd expect to shoot what I did or better. Just didn't quite finish the way I wanted to the last three holes, but under-par was a good score."

Spieth said the morning chill and wind had Aronimink Golf Club playing difficult. As the day warmed up, so did the three-time major winner.

He rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-4 16th, made the turn and drained a 10 footer at the first, and then made putts of just over 3 feet and a touch under 7 feet at Nos. 4-5, respectively.

"It's one of those rounds where I feel like I played better than I scored, which is frustrating because you want to get the most out of your round," said Spieth, who has 16 career wins. "It's also a good thing, which means things are in a good spot."

Spieth's last major victory came in The Open Championship in 2017. His only top-10 finish in a PGA was in 2019 at Bethpage Black State Park.

Thomas stumbles down stretch in pursuit of third PGA title

Justin Thomas kept his hopes for a third PGA title alive with a round-saving 53-foot bogey putt at the 14th hole.

He stumbled a bit down the stretch, but was still in the hunt with plenty of golf remaining.

Tied for the lead at 3 under, the 2017 and 2022 PGA winner gave two strokes back over the final holes.

At the 14th, he pulled his approach shot left, near the grandstands, and then left his chip short of the green in heavy rough. Then, his fourth shot drifted more than 50 feet on the undulating green. He salvaged a bogey with the long-distance putt.

Thomas dropped another shot at the par-5 16th when he drove into the left rough, advanced the ball less than 100 yards with his second and hit his third shot into a greenside bunker. Two shots later he was at 1 under.

"I played, I felt like, flawless in there for probably 13 holes," the 33-year-old said. "Honestly, I just had a very hard time staying focused. It's a long, long day out there. It's so, so tough, very, very windy, some tough pins.

"Really proud of the way I played and the way I hung in there. Solid first round."