Spieth holes bunker shot to win Travelers Championship play-off v Berger
FROM GOLFNEWS.COM
Make no mistake – Jordan Spieth holing out from the bunker to win the Travelers Championship play-off was a historic moment on Sunday.
The type of moment that will be remembered not only for what it was, but for the greater narrative to which it contributed.
The type of moment that, years later, will be recalled with a descriptive, “I remember where I was when …”
Just as we remember Tiger Woods’ mythical feats in vivid detail, we’ll remember the shot, the club toss, and the soaring chest bump with caddie Michael Greller as Spieth became the only golfer in history to match Woods’ total of 10 victories before his 24th birthday.
All Daniel Berger could do was stand and watch.
“That’s just Jordan doing Jordan things,” Berger said.
Spieth’s moment came on the first playoff hole at TPC River Highlands after he and Berger each finished at 12-under 268 for the week. He hit a tree with his drive, leaving more than 225 yards to the flag, and came up short on the approach into a front right bunker.
The rest is history.
“It took a little right bounce and cut spin and it rolled up to the hole,” Spieth said. “I jumped up and saw it coming right down on the pin. And I went nuts. That was fun. I don’t know how many (more) or if I’ll ever have a moment equivalent to that again, something like that to win a tournament. But yeah, that was very memorable. I certainly soaked it in.”
It was similar to Spieth’s first real moment on the PGA Tour, when he holed out from the bunker to join a three-man playoff en route to his first victory at the 2013 John Deere Classic. Just four years later, Spieth has two major victories and 10 wins overall at age 23 – even Jack Nicklaus can’t say the same.
He won at Pebble Beach earlier this season, he’s won at Augusta National, he won the 2015 Tour Championship at East Lake and he won the Travelers in his first time playing the event.
“It’s cool to look at all the different places around the world we’ve won,” Spieth said. “I think we’ve won on very different golf courses. It says that, other than that we add a little bit of belief no matter where we go, we don’t just say, ‘This course isn’t for us.’”
There’s the kicker. As he continues to gain experience and deliver defining moments, Spieth’s story keeps getting more intriguing.
England's Paul Casey finished tied fifth on 271, three behind the play-off participants.
Russell Knox from Inverness finished way down at T62 with a total of 280.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Players from USA unless stated
268 J Spieth 63 69 66 70, D Berger 68 67 66 67 (Spieth won play-off)
270 C Hoffman 69 67 68 66, D Lee (NZ) 68 67 68 67
271 P Reed 67 66 72 66, P Casey (England) 68 68 66 69, B Weekley 66 68 65 72.
272 K Streelman 69 70 68 64, T Merritt 65 68 73 66, W Simpson 70 68 66 68, D Hearn (Canada) 67 70 66 69, K Bradley 67 70 66 69, C T Pan 70 68 64 70.
SELECTED TOTALS
274 R McIlroy ( N Ireland) 67 73 70 64, P Harrington (Ireland) 66 69 71 68 (T17).
280 R Knox (Scotland) 69 70 68 73 (T62).
270 C
FROM GOLFNEWS.COM
Make no mistake – Jordan Spieth holing out from the bunker to win the Travelers Championship play-off was a historic moment on Sunday.
The type of moment that will be remembered not only for what it was, but for the greater narrative to which it contributed.
The type of moment that, years later, will be recalled with a descriptive, “I remember where I was when …”
Just as we remember Tiger Woods’ mythical feats in vivid detail, we’ll remember the shot, the club toss, and the soaring chest bump with caddie Michael Greller as Spieth became the only golfer in history to match Woods’ total of 10 victories before his 24th birthday.
All Daniel Berger could do was stand and watch.
“That’s just Jordan doing Jordan things,” Berger said.
Spieth’s moment came on the first playoff hole at TPC River Highlands after he and Berger each finished at 12-under 268 for the week. He hit a tree with his drive, leaving more than 225 yards to the flag, and came up short on the approach into a front right bunker.
The rest is history.
“It took a little right bounce and cut spin and it rolled up to the hole,” Spieth said. “I jumped up and saw it coming right down on the pin. And I went nuts. That was fun. I don’t know how many (more) or if I’ll ever have a moment equivalent to that again, something like that to win a tournament. But yeah, that was very memorable. I certainly soaked it in.”
It was similar to Spieth’s first real moment on the PGA Tour, when he holed out from the bunker to join a three-man playoff en route to his first victory at the 2013 John Deere Classic. Just four years later, Spieth has two major victories and 10 wins overall at age 23 – even Jack Nicklaus can’t say the same.
“It’s cool to look at all the different places around the world we’ve won,” Spieth said. “I think we’ve won on very different golf courses. It says that, other than that we add a little bit of belief no matter where we go, we don’t just say, ‘This course isn’t for us.’”
There’s the kicker. As he continues to gain experience and deliver defining moments, Spieth’s story keeps getting more intriguing.
England's Paul Casey finished tied fifth on 271, three behind the play-off participants.
Russell Knox from Inverness finished way down at T62 with a total of 280.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Players from USA unless stated
268 J Spieth 63 69 66 70, D Berger 68 67 66 67 (Spieth won play-off)
270 C Hoffman 69 67 68 66, D Lee (NZ) 68 67 68 67
271 P Reed 67 66 72 66, P Casey (England) 68 68 66 69, B Weekley 66 68 65 72.
272 K Streelman 69 70 68 64, T Merritt 65 68 73 66, W Simpson 70 68 66 68, D Hearn (Canada) 67 70 66 69, K Bradley 67 70 66 69, C T Pan 70 68 64 70.
SELECTED TOTALS
274 R McIlroy ( N Ireland) 67 73 70 64, P Harrington (Ireland) 66 69 71 68 (T17).
280 R Knox (Scotland) 69 70 68 73 (T62).
270 C
Labels: US PGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, June 26, 2017
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