Spieth’s hopes take a knock as disaster strikes again
JORDAN SPIETH found the green jacket a perfect fit when he won his first major here back in 2015. But since then, it seems that disaster has been his constant companion around Augusta’s acres. Twelve months on from running up a calamitous quadruple bogey that wrecked his hopes of a successful defence, the 23-year-old carded another that has almost certainly ended his shot at redemption. This time it wasn’t the 12th hole, the Golden Bell, that gave a dismal clang. He negotiated that one with an uneventful par three. Spieth was going along well on level par after 14. Then came the 15th, perhaps the most scary risk/reward hole in golf. Spieth left himself a wedge over the treacherous expanse of water fronting the green. He cleared the water but did not control the spin and the ball duly spun back and trickled into a watery grave. Clearly spooked, Spieth flew the green with his next attempt, but that only left a terrifying chip even Spieth couldn’t execute. Two chips, two putts, and he had walked off with a nine. From level par, and right in contention, he was four over, and in danger of falling too far back. Just as he did last year, Spieth responded with a gutsy birdie at the next hole, with his tee shot to the 16th finishing tap-in range away. The Texan is nothing if not a fighter. But it just goes to show that even a man who has proved he can play this course with aplomb cannot escape unscathed. In three previous Masters appearances he has finished 2-1-2 but he is in danger of becoming almost as well known for the woes as the wizardry. When he walked off the 18th there was only one topic of conversation, as there had been last year. Spieth had finished with a three-over-par 75 and clearly has plenty to do.