Jordan Spieth's quest for golf immortality at the PGA Championship began with a round that perfectly captured his career lately—flashes of brilliance mixed with frustrating stumbles.

The three-time major winner opened with a 1-under 69 at Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday, but what could have been a share of the early lead slipped away with late bogeys that left him visibly frustrated.

"I struck the ball well. I drove it really well. I was in a good position on a lot of holes," Spieth said after the round. "Just didn't quite finish the way I wanted to the last three holes, but under-par was a good score."

For Spieth, this tournament carries immense weight. He's chasing the career Grand Slam—a feat accomplished by only six golfers in history. This marks his 10th attempt to claim the Wanamaker Trophy and join legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Ben Hogan.

The day started with promise. Spieth opened with a 1-under 34 on the back nine, draining a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 and saving par with a 10-footer on 17. He was hitting fairways, controlling his ball flight, and rolling the rock beautifully.

After turning to the front nine, he flicked a wedge to 10 feet on No. 1 and converted the birdie. But golf's cruel nature struck quickly. A three-putt bogey on No. 2 was followed by a stretch of solid play that included wedge shots to 3 feet on No. 5 and 7 feet on No. 6.

For a moment, Spieth was tied for the lead—a position he hasn't held at the end of a major championship round since the 2018 Open Championship. But back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 7 and 8 erased that momentum and left him searching for answers.

At 1-under, Spieth is still within striking distance, but the pattern is all too familiar. He hasn't won any tournament in over four years, and his last top-10 finish came nearly a year ago. For a player chasing history, the margin for error is razor-thin—and Thursday proved that even good golf sometimes isn't good enough.