That didn’t take long, did it?
It didn’t take long for youngish Jordan Spieth to show us he’s perfectly fine, just like he said he would be.
There was gritty Jordan Spieth last Sunday, putting himself squarely in the skirmish on the back nine at Colonial Country Club, standing up the challenge of Harris English and Colonial member Ryan Palmer. There he was, letting those other guys make their early runs while he stayed patient.
There was Spieth, just 49 days after he dunked his chances for a second Masters title into Rae’s Creek at the 12th hole. There he was, putting it all behind him and finishing a tournament like no one else. There was the big-breaking birdie putt at the par three 16th that seemed like it started somewhere in the Stockyards and curled it’s way to the bottom of the cup.
At the 17th, Spieth was in a pickle. He was long and had very little green to work with. A probable bogey for most, but not this young magician. Ball lands just on the green, rolls like a putt, finds the bottom of the cup. Two-shot lead and victory in hand.
Then at 18, with everyone staring, he sends what was probably a lag on it’s way. Bottom of the cup, birdie, birdie, birdie finish and so-long doubters, so-long haters — Ghosts of The Masters — get the heck outta here!
“I knew it would be somewhat difficult to come back from what happened at the Masters. I knew that that was — I don’t wish it upon anybody. I mean it was not a fun experience. It’s not fun to hear people in the crowd walking down today yelling out ‘remember the Masters.’ That’s what you hear. That’s going to happen. To get over that, to get over that hurdle in our third tournament backs says a lot about our character.”
So said Spieth after his win, his second this year and eighth of his infant career.
He re-established himself as “The Closer.” He showed that short game that is unmatched by anyone else.
“Finally,” he said, “to close this one out feels really good and yeah, I mean, it’s always nice to see those putts and even chips go in when they really matter on the back nine on Sunday and that’s going to serve me well heading into the U.S. Open.
Spieth has a little more work ahead of him before the U.S. Open in three weeks. He will play this week at The Memorial, at host Jack Nicklaus’ Muirfield Village.
“We’re going to a place I love,” says Spieth, where he will be up against Jason Day and Rory McIlroy, both coming in off big wins.
“I love putting those greens. Just try and keep it consistent, try and get a little better each day, try and work on something that maybe we need to work on heading into the U.S. Open,” Spieth said, talking about his game plan.
He also has one eye on that man ahead of him in the world rankings — Day.
“This is a big step for me to make a move on Jason’s No. 1 reign,” Spieth added.
It was a big step last week in Fort Worth for a lot of reasons.
The magic was reignited.
His confidence came back from the dead.
He looked like Jordan Spieth again.
He told us so.
You can’t keep Jordan Spieth down.
At least, not for long.
