A tale of two nines for Spieth
A poor back nine cost Masters champion Jordan Spieth at the Memorial Tournament on Friday, though he’s not out of it yet.
The 21-year-old finds himself five strokes behind on the leaderboard, though it could have been so much better.
Spieth’s round of two-under par 70 began with a birdie on the first before he went on to make a trio of pars.
All that changed when he sunk a 48-foot putt for eagle on the par-five fifth and followed that up with consecutive birdies on the seventh and eighth.
The back nine was to be a different story, however.
Spieth’s woes began as he missed a 16-foot putt on the par-four 10th to record a double bogey.
His troubles continued on the 12th when he couldn’t convert an eight-foot putt, leading to another bogey, and that was followed by six pars in a row as he failed to make up any lost ground.
Afterwards, he admitted the double bogey on the 12th had gotten him flustered.
“I got mentally off,” he said. “I got very uncomfortable, didn’t put good, solid strokes on it. I was very tentative.
“Just a fluke day, just a fluke hour of golf,” he said. “It normally doesn’t happen like that. It was just weird today.”
Latest
-
PGA ChampionshipGraeme Storm recalls ‘surreal’ US PGA adventure after battle with Rory McIlroy
His famous victory over McIlroy came on the third extra hole in the 2017 South African Open in Johannesburg
-
PGA TourLee Kyoung-Hoon shoots his lowest round on the tour to retain Texas title
Dallas-born Jordan Spieth went close with a chip for eagle on the 18th which would have forced a play-off.
-
European TourSam Horsfield ‘so happy’ after winning Soudal Open to secure another title
Horsfield overcame overnight leader Ryan Fox in a thrilling final-round battle.
-
PGA ChampionshipJustin Rose still has drive to succeed as ‘exciting challenge’ of US PGA arrives
Rose won the US Open in 2013 and Olympic gold in Rio three years later, but has not tasted victory since February 2019.
-
PGA ChampionshipTiger Woods will expect to do better at US PGA Championship – Curtis Strange
Woods returned to top-level action after a long injury absence with a 47th-placed finished at the Masters.
-
PGA ChampionshipDefending champion Phil Mickelson withdraws from US PGA Championship
The six-time major winner has been taking a break from golf.
-
PGA TourEnglish rookie David Skinns shares lead in Texas
The 40-year-old from Lincoln shot a second-round 63 in the AT&T Byron Nelson.
-
PGA ChampionshipJordan Spieth looking for career grand slam at US PGA Championship
The presence or absence of defending champion Phil Mickelson which will dominate the conversation at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Championship5 contenders to win the US PGA Championship
Tiger Woods could contend for victory in Tulsa.
-
NewsWe’ve got your back – Greg Norman promises to defend players on breakaway tour
Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are among the professionals to have asked for the required release to play the first event at Centurion Club.