Spieth breaks drought with victory.
What began as a tune-up for the Masters turned into a coronation for Jordan Spieth.
The former University of Texas star won his first Valero Texas Open title in six tries Sunday, holding off Charley Hoffman down the stretch and taming the tough Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio for the fourth consecutive round.
Spieth removed any real drama with a birdie on 17 to stretch his lead over Hoffman to two strokes, his final margin of victory.
He finished with a tap-in for par on 18, a check for $1.39 million and a pair of black Lucchese boots that annually are awarded to the winner.
“This is a monumental win for me,” Spieth said. “It’s one I’ve thought about for long time.”
Spieth heads to next week’s Masters with momentum and his first PGA Tour win since 2017.
Hoping to recapture the brilliance of his first five seasons, when he won 11 times including three majors, Spieth had not won in 83 starts and struggled with his confidence.
All that changed Sunday. The Spieth slump officially is over.
“It’s been a long road,” he said. “There were a lot of times I wasn’t sure if I would be here (in the winner’s circle again). I never really doubted that I could get back to this level again, but a lot of time, it’s hard to see the positives going
forward. Just kept my head down.”
Spieth finished at 18-under 270 after a 66 on Sunday. Hoffman finished second with a 272 total after carding a 6-under 66 on Sunday.
Englishman Matt Wallace, tied for the lead with Spieth at 12-under after Saturday’s marathon third round (it was delayed two and a half hours by rain), never really threatened Sunday and finished alone in third at 14-under.
Lucas Glover’s late charge on the back nine that included an eagle on 14 left him in fourth, six shots back.
Anirban Lahiri of India tied for sixth with Chris Kirk and Gary Woodland. Patton Kizzire, Sebastian Munoz and second-round leader Cameron Tringale tied for ninth at 8-under 280.
Hoffman, 44, a perennial Texas Open contender and champion in 2016, quickly jumped into contention Sunday after beginning the round two shots back.
He birdied three of his first six holes to tie Spieth for the lead at 13-under. But Spieth led by two at the turn after birdies on Nos. 6 and 8 and stretched the lead to three after sinking a 13-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 12th.
Hoffman had his chances down the stretch but got in trouble with his driver on 10 and 11, missing opportunities to close the gap.
He recorded three birdies over his final six holes, but Spieth countered with birdies on 12, 14 and 17 to maintain the advantage.
Spieth’s birdie on 17 after his approach shot left him with a 5foot putt sealed the victory. He survived a few anxious moments on 18 when his second shot found the primary rough next to a leaderboard.
But Hoffman found the rough, too, and both finished with pars on the final hole.
“I’ve won golf tournaments, and I’ve lost golf tournaments, but today Jordan won the golf tournament,” said Hoffman, who has not won on tour since his 2016 win at the Texas Open. “Obviously, I put some pressure on. Obviously, I would have liked to hit some better shots coming down the stretch, but I still had an opportunity on the 18th, and that’s all you can ask for. Hats off to Jordan.”
Spieth’s slump dropped him from No. 1 in the world in 2016 to No. 92 in January. Now 53rd, he appears to have found his game again at just the right time.
Spieth, 27, won the Masters in 2015 and will be considered one of the favorites at Augusta National Golf Club this week.
He’s had a resurgent 2021 season. He shot a third-round 10-under 61 to hold a share of the 54hole lead at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February. He finished tied for fourth.
He followed the same script a week later at the AT&T Pebble Beach before tying for third.
He had four top 10s in his last six starts before Sunday’s breakthrough.
“I honestly thought I would be more emotional at the end (Sunday),” he said. “But I’m glad I’m not. It was a fun battle today.”
Defending champion Corey Conners finished tied for 14th after at 6-under after a 70 on Sunday.
Walker, now a San Antonio resident after recently moving from Boerne, continued a familiar trend of failing to string four good rounds together, finishing tied for 59th after a 75 on Sunday.
The former Baylor standout was 2-under after 54 holes following three par or better rounds. But a four-bogey, one birdie day Sunday spoiled an otherwise solid week.
San Antonio resident Abraham Ancer tied for 23rd at 4-under 284 after a 70 on Sunday.
Rickie Fowler needed to win to keep his streak of 10 straight Masters appearances alive. But the five-time PGA Tour winner and one of the biggest names in the tournament’s field, ended up tied with Texas A&M alumnus Ryan Palmer and four others for 17th after a 2-under 70 on Sunday.
Another former Texas Longhorns star, Scottie Scheffler, finished tied for 54th at even par 288 after a final-round 73.