Marvelous, sensational, incredible, unbelievable.
There really are not enough adjectives to describe what Jordan Spieth did on Saturday at the John Deere Classic.
He started the third round five shots behind overnight leader Justin Thomas. By the time Spieth waked off the last green, he had finished birdie-eagle-birdie to shoot an amazing 10-under par 61 at the TPC Deere Run, his career low round.
“I worked hard on the range,” Spieth said afterward, hitting balls in a downpour that delayed the tee times. Spieth admitted that his game was “rough” on Wednesday and Thursday but he’s gotten better each day and by the day’s end on Saturday, he was pulling off magical shots like the wedge third shot that he holed on the par five 17th for eagle.
“I saw him make eagle at 17,” said Danny Lee, who played in front of Spieth and will play along side him on Sunday in the final pairing. Lee shot a 62 of his own that was overshadowed by Spieth’s round. “Jordan just played magnificent,” Lee observed. “But it was a really great day for me and I’m confident going into tomorrow.”
The two young players left the rest of the field limp in their jetwash.
Thomas cooled off, shot 69 and is three back of Spieth at 14-under along with Johnson Wagner and Shawn Stefani.
The day, however, belonged to Spieth and a bit to Lee, winner last week at Greenbrier.
The stage is set for a battle between the two young guns unless someone behind them can play Spieth-like.
