The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Wild journey: Spieth wins British Open
Closing performance ranks among the best in majors history
SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND » During one of Jordan Spieth’s many low points July 23 in the British Open, his caddie reminded him of a photo from a Mexico beach holiday two weeks ago that showed him in All-Star company that included Michael Phelps and Michael Jordan.
The message: “You belong in that group.”
Spieth left little doubt with a closing performance that ranks among the greatest finishes in major championship history.
Trailing for the first time all weekend at Royal Birkdale — and lucky it was only one stroke thanks to a shot from the driving range — the 23-year-old Texan followed with a birdie-eagle-birdiebirdie stretch that allowed him to close with a 1-under 69 and win the British Open by three shots over Matt Kuchar.
Spieth captured the third leg of the career Grand Slam and heads to the PGA Championship next month with a chance to be the youngest to win them all.
“This is as much of a high as I’ve ever experienced in my golfing life,” Spieth said.
And it all started in a spot so dire it looked as though he would endure another major meltdown.
The break of the tournament — and a moment that will rate alongside Seve Ballesteros making birdie from the car park when he won at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1979 — was when Spieth discovered the range was part of the course.
His tee shot was so far to the right on the par-4 13th hole that it sailed some 75 yards from the fairway and settled in thick grass on a dune so steep he could hardly stand up, let alone take a swing. The only smart option was to take a one-shot penalty for an unplayable lie.
That’s when Spieth showed his golfing brain is as valuable as any club. He had the presence to ask if the driving range was out of bounds. It wasn’t, which allowed him to go back in
a straight line from the flag until he was on the range among the equipment trucks. After getting free relief from them, he still faced a blind shot over the dunes to a hole littered by pot bunkers. He hit 3-iron just short of a bunker near the green , pitched over it to about 7 feet and made what he considers the most important putt of the day to escape with bogey.
And then came the finishing kick like Phelps, the go-ahead jumper like Jordan. Spieth hit 6-iron to the 14th that landed in front of the flag and came within inches of an ace, leading to a short birdie putt to regain the lead. On the par-5 15th, he rolled in a 50-foot eagle putt and playfully barked at caddie Michael Greller to pick it out of the cup. “Go get that,” he said, pointing to the hole.
He wasn’t done.Spieth rolled in a 30-foot putt across the 16th green for a
two-shot lead, and he kept that margin by pouring in a 7-foot putt to match birdies with Kuchar. The final putt for par was a tap-in, as easy a shot as he had all day.
“To follow that bogey on 13 with great golf shots and great putts, and play the final five holes in 5-under par, I was just very happy for him and very impressed to watch all that guts, determination and skill,” Jack Nicklaus posted on Facebook.
Spieth and Jack Nicklaus are the only players to win three different majors at age 23.
“This is a dream come true for me,” Spieth said, gazing at his name on the silver claret jug. “Absolutely a dream come true.”
For so much of Sunday, it felt like a recurring nightmare. Just 15 months ago, Spieth lost a five-shot lead on the back nine at the Masters, coming undone with a quadruple-bogey 7 on the
12th hole. It was more of a slow bleed at Royal Birkdale, with three bogeys on the opening four holes and four putts inside 8 feet that he missed on the front nine to fall into a tie with Kuchar.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself unfortunately, and not on purpose, before the round today, just thinking this is the best opportunity that I’ve had since the ‘16 Masters,” he said. “And if it weren’t to go my way today, then all I’m going to be questioned about and thought about and murmured about is in comparison to that. And that adds a lot of pressure to me. Closing today was extremely important for the way I look at myself.”
Kuchar could only watch. He had a one-shot lead after 13 holes, played the next four holes with two birdies and two pars and found himself two shots behind and out of luck.