Late eagle sparks Spieth
Gem from 160 yards on 16 leads to 2-shot edge after 3 rounds
One swing put Jordan Spieth closer than ever to ending a long and mystifying slump, and served as a reminder that he still has a long road ahead at the
AT&T Pebble Beach Proam.
Two shots behind with three holes to play Saturday, Spieth holed out with an 8-iron from 160 yards for eagle on the 16th hole, the start of a stunning turnaround that sent him to a 1-under 71 and a two-shot lead going into the final round.
Daniel Berger helped out by going from a share of the lead to two shots behind when his tee shot on the par-5 18th was out of bounds by mere inches and led to a double bogey.
“It’s a good lesson to learn for tomorrow, how quickly things can change out here,” Spieth said.
The timing was ideal for Spieth, who has been without a victory worldwide in his past 79 events since he won the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
He led by two shots at the turn only to miss the green and make bogey at the 10th and 12th, and then bail out of a tough wedge to a back pin on the par-5 14th that spun off the green for another bogey.
Spieth was at 13-under 203 with plenty of contenders right behind.
Patrick Cantlay, whose third round began with such promise when he hit 8 feet
for eagle, birdied the 18th for a 70 and joined Berger two shots out of the lead. Tom Hoge (68) and Russell Knox (69) also were two shots behind.
Jason Day was very much in the mix, too, after a 68 left him in the group at 10-under 206. Paul Casey stayed three shots behind.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and embattled strength coach Chris Doyle parted ways Friday night, a few hours after a prominent diversity group assailed the team and called the recent hiring “simply unacceptable.”
Coach Urban Meyer and GM Trent Baalke said Doyle resigned.
“Chris did not want to be a distraction to what we are building in Jacksonville,” Meyer and Baalke said in a statement. “We are responsible for all aspects of our program and, in retrospect, should have given greater consideration to how his appointment may have affected all involved. We wish him the best as he moves forward in his career.”
The team initially attributed the statement to Meyer, but added Baalke’s name Saturday and said it was an oversight.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance, whose mission is to increase diversity in the NFL, criticized Jacksonville’s leadership, specifically Meyer, and said racist allegations at Iowa should have disqualified Doyle as a candidate.
“At a time when the NFL has failed to solve its problem with racial hiring practices, it is simply unacceptable to welcome Chris Doyle into the ranks of NFL coaches,” the alliance said in a statement Friday. “Doyle’s departure from the University of Iowa reflected a tenure riddled with poor judgment and mistreatment of Black players. His conduct should be as disqualifying for the NFL as it was for University of Iowa.
“Urban Meyer’s statement, ‘I’ve known Chris for close to 20 years,’ reflects the good ol’ boy network that is precisely the reason there is such a disparity in employment opportunities for Black coaches.”
Meyer defended the hiring on Thursday, saying he “vetted him thoroughly along with our general manager and owner.”
Note: As intense and emotional as Richard Sherman is on the field, he’s just as passionate when he instructs folks on a societal challenge: financial stability. The star cornerback of the 49ers has partnered with the NFL Alumni Association and Million Stories Media as part of the Million Stories initiative. The partnership emphasizes financial literacy education to prepare for future job loss or career changes. The idea focuses on having an emergency fund. His video aims to combat financial mismanagement through free, accessible educational resources.