Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth carded matching 66s on Thursday at Monterey Peninsula to secure top-10 positions (T9) after the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Spieth, who is in the midst of big-time slump, got off to a slow start on day one with a pair of bogeys offset by two birdies to turn in even-par 34, but the 25-year old Texan picked up the pace on the back-side, carding a 5-under 32, highlighted by two gains on Nos. 16 and 18.

“Pretty good. A good start. You really want to take advantage when we get the good weather day for what’s coming, especially playing MPCC which normally yields more birdies, a little easier off the tee,” said Spieth.

“So I’m really happy about the back nine. I was even par through nine on a course where you feel like you really need to get something going and it was certainly nice to get five birdies on the back.”

Spieth, who will be paired with Johnson for the opening three rounds, is in search of his first top-10 finish of the season (T55, MC, MC, T35), and first since the Open Championship last summer.

In four events thus far Spieth has accumulated just 25 points, and is ranked 183rd in the FedExCup race, earning $51,033.

SPIETH’S DAY-ONE STATS

Driving: 299 yards (12th)
Fairways: 11/13, 84.6% (17th)
Greens: 15/18, 83.3% (22nd)
Putting: 1.733 (36th)

DJ, who entered the tournament off a win in Saudi Arabia, finished his first day at Pebble Beach with one bogey (No. 15) against six birdies.

“I thought I played really solid. Made, I kind of gave away two shots there on 15 and 16,” said Johnson, citing a bogey on No. 15, followed by a par on the par-5 16th.

“Just one, bad swing with the driver, and the other one I just misjudged the distance a little bit with a wedge shot.

“I actually thought I hit a good shot and it came up about 10 yards short of where I wanted it to and ended up making bogey there on 16. But — or on 15. And then 16 I hit a driver left and into the stuff.

“That was the only, probably worst swing I made all day. Overall I felt like I played good. Had a lot of good chances at birdies. Just it’s tough to make putts out here.”

DJ’S DAY-ONE STATS

Driving: 293 yards (16th)
Fairways: 9/13, 69.2% (29th)
Greens: 15/18, 83.3% (22nd)
Putting: 1.667 (25th)