There’s rarely a dull moment following Jordan Spieth and Thursday at the 2023 Hero World Challenge was just about as Spieth-y as a round of golf can get.
The 13-time winner on the PGA Tour made two pars to start his day at Albany in the Bahamas and then made just three more pars over his next 16 holes and ultimately signed for a 4-under 68 on a colorful scorecard that looked more like a geometry quiz, especially on the back nine. Spieth made two eagles, six birdies, five pars, four bogeys and a double and is somehow just one shot behind opening leaders Tony Finau and Brian Harman. His lone back-nine par came at the closing 18th hole.
“It was an electric factory out there, for sure,” Spieth said of his round. “Some rusty putting, a couple toe balls and then a lot of really, really good stuff. So all in all I would have probably signed for 4 under when I was warming up today, I just didn’t think I’d get there this way.”
Jordan Spieth.
Proving there's more than one way to shoot 68 since 1993. pic.twitter.com/D3OAeScRBU
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 30, 2023
“My drive on 16 was really bad. I was just so not committed, I changed shots when I was over it,” Spieth said of his worst shot of the day. “My best was my hybrid on 3. I hit a hybrid to about a foot for eagle to get going.”
Nobody talks to themselves or their own ball more than Spieth, and the three-time major champion was in midseason form in both departments early at the November silly-season event. His two eagles were the product of a beautiful approach and bomb of a putt. After he lost a wayward shot to the left on the par-5 6th hole, Spieth hit a provisional and then said the famous last words, “I think the first one is fine.” He wound up playing the provisional, which led to his lone double bogey on the day.
The man constantly delivers entertainment on the golf course and Thursday’s round was the ultimate Jordan Spieth experience.
