Jordan Spieth Picks Up Another Win Where It All Began
- Dan Hauser
- 12 Jul, 2015
Jordan Spieth was criticized greatly for his schedule choice this week.
While most of his competition was spending the week getting ready for next week’s Open Championship by getting acclimated to Scotland either by playing in the Scottish Open or getting in extra practice rounds at St. Andrews, Spieth chose to stay stateside and compete at the John Deere Classic.
You see, “the Deere” holds a special place in Spieth’s heart.
Three years ago when Spieth was just a 19 year old who had no status on any tour and had recently left Texas to turn pro, the John Deere Classic gave Spieth a sponsors exemption to play in their tournament. We all remember how the rest goes. Spieth holes out of the bunker on the 72nd hole to force a playoff, then wins that playoff to get his first PGA Tour win, and with that his membership. Spieth knows how special that win was to him and his career and that’s why chose to honor to the commitment to the event.
“This tournament means a lot to me,” he said. “I mean this jump started my career. … I’d probably be six months to a year further back in my career had that shot not gone in and had I not survived the playoff. I wouldn’t have been in the [FedEx Cup] playoffs, the Presidents Cup, my world ranking would have been down given that I played the playoffs extremely well. So I would have been set back a little bit starting the next year. I could have played a different schedule. Who knows what could have happened.”
Spieth started the final round with a two shot lead but that quickly withered away after an opening bogey and a slew of birdies from those chasing him. Spieth seemed to be off most of the day. With just six holes left to play, he found himself four shots behind new leader Tom Gillis.
“To be four back with six to go, all we were saying was, ‘We birdied five of the last six two years ago to get into a playoff [and win],” Spieth said, referencing his conversation with caddie Michael Greller. “’Why can’t we do it again?’”
Shortly after that conversation, Spieth started doing Spieth things. He birdied 13 and 14, holed out from off the green at 16, and made his final birdie at 17 to play his last six holes in 4 under, post a final-round 68, and force a playoff with Gillis.
It took Spieth two extra holes to defeat Gillis, but in doing so won his 5th career PGA Tour event and fourth of 2015. Once again, Spieth had the last laugh as he sat at the interview table with the trophy beside him.
“I came here for a reason, and we accomplished that reason, and certainly I’ve got some momentum going into next week,” Spieth said. “[After] starting off so slow, to be able to shoot 20 under in three rounds is obviously nice momentum.”
Now, Spieth will head to St. Andrews where he will look to complete the third leg of the single season Grand Slam as well as take over the spot of #1 golfer in the world. However, there will be some time just spent taking it all in.
Even for a guy like Spieth, he knows how special a place like St. Andrews is.
“I love it. I absolutely love it,” he said. “I love the town. I love the R&A clubhouse. I love the – what do you call it – Himalayas putting green. The entire experience of being there was really cool. The golf course, specifically, I think it’s just mind boggling that it can stand the test of time and hold a major championship centuries after it was built.”
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About Dan Hauser
As an avid golfer and sports enthusiast, Dan has had a passion for sports starting at a very young age. Dan’s other passion has always been writing. Since the time he could write, he has always enjoyed sharing information with people and telling stories through writing. In middle school he combined his two loves by joining the school newspaper in the sports department.
