Valero Texas Open Promises a Hot Sunday Finish

Mar 8, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Phil Mickelson (C) and his caddie Jim Mackay (L) talk to Jimmy Walker (R) on the practice green prior to the final round of the WGC – Cadillac Championship golf tournament at TPC Blue Monster at Trump National Doral. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Walker managed to finish his 3rd round at Valero Texas Open still ahead of Jordan Spieth by 4 shots, but Spieth’s no longer lurking. He’s charging. Spieth opened up a flat-out drive for the top Saturday on the TPC San Antonio track and if he hadn’t run into trouble coming home he would have had Walker down for the count. As it is, Walker’s going into Sunday watching his back and with Spieth on the hunt I’m counting on an old-fashioned Sunday Shootout of an ending to the Valero.

Spieth, The Heir Apparent?

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Can Spieth actually make up those 4 shots he threw away on the back nine today and then get past Walker’s lead? Not according to his stats, but as John Haynes points out in his blog, Top Hand Golf, the stats just don’t tell the tale when it comes to Jordan Spieth.

The guy is well down in the rankings on most of the conventional golf skills measures — driving distance, driving accuracy, greens in regulation, sand saves. So what does he bring to his game that made him such a stand-out at the Ryder Cup and that’s gotten him wins at the Emirates Australian Open, the Hero World Challenge and, last week, at the Valspar Open? I think Haynes says it best:

"“Spieth is one of those special players who somehow gets more out of his game than he really should. He has that innate ability to cobble a round together, despite very average ball striking and good, but not great, putting. The bottom line is he’s a great player. He’s not a great ball striker. He plays a great game of golf. It may not be pretty, but young Mr. Spieth manages his game as well as anyone out there, and he has that ability to somehow make a putt, or get it up and down, when he really needs to. “"

Like John Haynes, I see Jordan Spieth as one of the primary challenger not just for the Sunday Win in San Antonio but for the crown jewels of golf, the Masters Tournament, the US Open, and The Open Championship. Not all in 2015, to be sure, but then the guy is 21 and he has plenty of time to make the moves. I’m going to enjoy watching him do just that!

Elsewhere on the Saturday Leaderboard

Phil Mickelson moved in the wrong direction today in San Antonio, dropping from his 6th place start to a T11th finish. But Lefty has proved again that he’s the quintessential good guy on the course. When one of his signature errant shots found a spectator instead of the green, Lefty took time out to autograph and give away a glove and exchange enough words with his victim to assure himself that the damage was transient. And he didn’t break any clubs today.

Billy Horschel moved up from 6th to 3rd but starting Sunday at 3-under and trailing Jimmy Walker by 6 shots, Horschel is going to need as many birdies tomorrow as he’s accumulated over the last 54 holes if he wants to put daylight between himself and the current leaders. That’s a big challenge for anybody.

Sunday Schedule

Matt Kuchar, Harris English and Kyle Reifers will lead off the final round at the Valero at 9:35am local time with the final group, Jimmy Walker, Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel, teeing off at 11:35am. We’ll know Sunday afternoon which of these guys is the Sunday closer, but my money’s on Spieth.

Golf Channel live coverage will begin at noon and continue until 2pm, and NBC will pick up live coverage at 2pm and continue through 5pm. All times are CST.

Next: Valero Texas Open, Is Jimmy Walker a Closer?

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