Jordan Spieth Back In The Winners Circle
By Yash Padhye
Jordan Spieth notched his 1st 2017 victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Jordan Spieth has already enjoyed a phenomenal 2017 season. After four top-10 finishes, Spieth notched his first win this week.
It wasn’t just any tournament. Spieth finished his final round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a score of 19-under par 268, edging out Kelly Kraft, who made a good run at the end of the final round to try and overtake Spieth.
Spieth has had a whirlwind of a 2017 season so far. He has come oh-so-close to winning tournaments only to fall back and finish within the top-10.
To start the season he tied for sixth at the Hero World Challenge, an event sponsored by the Tiger Woods Foundation. He then played two events in Hawaii in early January where he placed third twice. Spieth was in contention on the weekend at the Waste Management Phoenix Open last week but fell into a tie for ninth to finish the event. But after his performance at Pebble Beach this week, you can add Spieth’s name to the winners circle for 2017.
Spieth started his final round at Pebble Beach strong with birdie on 17, his eighth hole of the day, by sinking a putt from 29 feet. The Texan saved pars on his third and fourth holes and turned with a 35.
On the back nine Spieth continued his strong play and almost managed eagle on the par-5 2nd, hitting his fairway wood to about 13-feet. He missed his putt just right and settled for tap-in birdie. With a good save for par on the par-three 5th, Spieth managed to make pars the rest of the way shooting a final round 70.
Breaking Records
This win makes Spieth the only player in PGA TOUR history to win by three or more strokes in five events before the age of 24.
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Spieth is also the second youngest player to have won nine events on the PGA TOUR at 23 years and six months old. He is behind only Tiger who reached the milestone and 23 years and five months.
Spieth was unhappy with the lack of birdies he made in that final round and he told Associated Press reporter Doug Ferguson, “I don’t like boring golf, but that’s what was needed today.” Spieth played the final 28 holes of the tournament bogey-free.
Spieth also told CBSSports reporter Kyle Porter, “Winning before Augusta is always a goal.”
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He will now compete next week at the Genesis Open. Tiger Woods pulled out of the Genesis Open last week citing back issues, but the field will be stacked and now include one more star-studded player in Spieth. He will look to win for the 10th time. The course at Riviera is a tough course with a lot of slopes, but Spieth is an aggressive player and with his putting ability will look to be back in contention and possibly back in the winners’ circle.