Jordan Spieth, Augusta, and the Greatest Comeback that (Almost) Was

The roars echoing late Sunday afternoon through the pines of Augusta National Golf Club felt timeless.  Without glancing at one of the massive green scoreboards that adorn the grounds each April, a patron could have believed for a moment that the roars were for Arnold Palmer as he edged Ken Venturi by a shot back in 1960—or for Jack Nicklaus himself when he ascended the leaderboard with a late charge to defeat Greg Norman and Tom Kite back in 1986.

But this was 2018, and the roars weren’t for Palmer or Nicklaus—but for another American golfer who will likely be remembered among their ranks: Jordan Spieth.

Beginning the final round nine shots back of the tournament leader—and fellow Ryder Cup teammate—Patrick Reed, Spieth regarded his Sunday chances as nonexistent.  Asked Saturday how he would mentally approach the final day, the 2015 champion mentioned looking forward to his “first stress-free round” ever played at The Masters.  Perhaps the final round was leisurely, but only for a few holes.

Jordan Spieth of the United States reacts to making birdie on the…

Jordan Spieth of the United States reacts to making birdie on the 15th green during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

By the sixth tee, Spieth was already three-under on his round, suddenly only five shots back of leader Patrick Reed—who bogeyed the first hole.  After birdieing eight and nine, Spieth was only four shots behind.  Patrick Reed, who began the day at -14 and with a three-shot lead, was playing stagnant golf on a day of low scores.

Jordan Spieth of the United States celebrates making a putt for…

Jordan Spieth of the United States celebrates making a putt for birdie on the 12th hole during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2018 in… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

The drama climaxed on Augusta’s twelfth tee, where Jordan Spieth’s hopes had collapsed two years prior with an unexpected quadruple bogey seven—effectively curbing any chances of defending his 2015 title.  Today, however, the narrative was one of redemption rather than anguish.  Spieth cleared Rae’s Creek with a draw, deftly landing his ball on the green’s back shelf—safely away from the water, but miles from the hole.  Exorcising his demons of 2016, Spieth sank the birdie putt to a chorus of roars, and pumped his fist.

https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/983092247758561280

This wasn’t just a charge.  It was shaping to be a comeback.

At the par 5 thirteenth—now three shots back—Spieth encountered another decision.  After finding the pinestraw—ironically not far from where Phil Mickelson landed en-route to his win in 2010—Spieth needed to decide: lay up, or attack the green?  After a moment of indecision, Jordan exchanged his four-iron for a hybrid.  Patrons around the entire fairway cheered.  Spieth swung the hybrid, shouted for the ball to “go hard,” and—as it always does for Spieth—the ball obeyed.  He missed the eight-footer for eagle, but tapped in for birdie and now only trailed by two.

How about this approach from the pine straw by @JordanSpieth? pic.twitter.com/Rar1Eg6FRH

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 8, 2018

After a poor seven-iron swing on sixteen, Spieth subsequently left himself a thirty-three footer for a crucial birdie to tie the lead. During the greatest Sunday charges in Masters history, the 16^th has been the crescendo of drama, where the champions deserving of the green jacket have demonstrated their caliber.  Jack Nicklaus drained his famous putt in 1975 en-route to victory over Johnny Miller and Tom Wieskopf, and nearly aced the hole in 1986 during a late Sunday charge.  In a 2005 Masters battle with Chris DiMarco, Tiger Woods famously chipped-in on sixteen, compelling longtime commentator Verne Lundquist to shout: “In your life, have you seen anything like that?”  Running out of holes, Spieth needed his own bit of magic at the sixteenth.  He didn’t disappoint.

"Are you kidding me?" — @JordanSpieth

UNREAL. pic.twitter.com/Q7WiOwPaQ7

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 8, 2018

The ball vanished below the green’s undulating surface, another Sunday roar echoed between the Augusta pines, and Jordan Spieth looked to Michael Greller—his caddie—and mouthed the same words that all of us were thinking: “are you kidding me?”

He was tied for the lead.  For a moment, a glorious moment, it appeared as though the golfer who suffered the greatest collapse in Masters history just two years prior would be shortly redeemed by the greatest comeback in Masters history.  No player has ever won The Masters from nine shots back after 54 holes.  Only once, by Jack Burke Jr. in 1956, has an eight-shot deficit been overcome.  With two holes to play, it appeared that those records would be rewritten.

Jordan Spieth of the United States and caddie Michael Greller lines…

Jordan Spieth of the United States and caddie Michael Greller lines up a putt 13th green during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2018 in… Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

After parring the seventeenth, Spieth needed only a birdie at eighteen to write history—and in more ways than one.  A birdie was necessary for a final round score of 62, the lowest ever shot at Augusta National.  A birdie would have sealed a victory over Patrick Reed, denoting the largest third-round deficit overcome in Masters history.  And, more importantly, a birdie—and the win it delivered—would eternally exorcise the demons of Spieth’s 2016 Masters collapse.

But, as any of the eighty-seven players in the field could have told you, the tee-shot on eighteen must traverse the narrowest of alleys to safely reach the final fairway.  Spieth’s ball never made it that far, catching the branch of an Augusta pine by the smallest of margins.  Forced to layup, Spieth missed a downhill eight-footer for par, which would have tied for second.

Jordan Spieth of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee…

Jordan Spieth of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Asked after the round if Spieth knew where his score placed him, the 2015 champion replied: “I didn’t look at one board.  The only time I knew where I stood was after I finished on 18. I knew the putt was important. Every shot was very important coming down the stretch, because…with that many guys ahead, somebody’s going low, but I didn’t know exactly what it was, so obviously pretty gutted at the finish. I hit a tee shot that…just caught the last little branch of that tree…but it was a phenomenal day.”

A final round 64 in the Masters Tournament, and a fourth career top three performance at the event, certainly were the elements of a phenomenal day.  Only the needles of an Augusta pine prevented Sunday from becoming a historic day.

Jordan Spieth of the United States putts on the 17th green during the…

Jordan Spieth of the United States putts on the 17th green during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2018 in Augusta, Georgia. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

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