Jordan Spieth: Champion Golfer Of The Year with ‘The Bogey Putt’
“Some of the biggest putts you will ever make will be for Bogey” -Scott C MacKenzie, my father, as said to me on numerous occasions
When Jordan Spieth is an old man and no longer able to provide golf fans with yet another magical finish, he will still be asked about that putt for bogey on the 13th green at Royal Birkdale on Sunday afternoon at the 146th Open Championship.
In the 1981 NFL Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys , 49ers legend Joe Montana completed a touchdown pass to Dwight Clark to win the game. The play has from then on been referred to as The Catch and signifies the beginning of the 49er dynasty.
Golf now has its own version of The Catch, The Bogey. Jordan Spieth rolled a single putt on Sunday afternoon at Royal Birkdale that marks the beginning of a great dynasty. Compliments of a 24-year old Texan and now Masters, U.S. Open, and Open Championship winner, Jordan Spieth has established a benchmark by which the balance of his career will be measured.
The Bogey has become the stuff of instant legend and it will inevitably take on a life of its own, especially if Spieth continues to win tournaments and major championships at his current pace.
Jordan Spieth made the putt of his life for bogey. He will never make a bigger putt.
Jordan Spieth was right smack in the middle of a golf nightmare during the final round of the 2017 Open Championship. For the first three rounds, Spieth had played near flawless golf, effortlessly taming the historic Royal Birkdale as if he were playing in a Tuesday morning dogfight at the local muni.
Spieth walked off the 18th green Saturday after making a putt for birdie with a look in his eyes that seemed to declare be knew he would be taking the Claret Jug back to the house, and there wouldn’t be any other discussions on the matter.
Matt Kuchar played an incredible four rounds at Royal Birkdale; he actually had the lead over Spieth as they stood on the 13th tee box, which is where the deal went down.
The 13th tee at Royal Birkdale now needs a moniker of its own. I nominate it to be renamed Jordan’s Crossroads. I say that because had Spieth not somehow managed to extract bogey 5 from that disaster of a tee shot it’s unlikely we would be discussing The Bogey’s upward influence on Spieth’s career.
In all likelihood, something akin to The Shank would be the defining moment of the 146th Open Championship.
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After dominating for three rounds Spieth played so flat for Sunday’s first 12 holes he had to know he was at a crossroads, for how his career would be defined from then to forever.
The shank Spieth hit off the tee was the worst golf shot I’ve ever seen at the professional level. The up and down for bogey was among the best ever by anyone.
Spieth’s shift to turbo for the final five holes was only possible because of the momentum injected by the bogey putt brought as it tumbled in the hole. Matt Kuchar had a two-shot lead standing on the 14th tee and played his final five holes two-under par. He still lost to Spieth by three.
Every time I add it up that translates to five-under for Spieth over the final five holes. Spieth was spectacular all week at Royal Birkdale. He is going on the list of great champions Royal Birkdale has produced, including legends like Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson. He is the second Texan to claim the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale, joining Lee Trevino.
Next: Spieth wins The Open in historic fashion
The 2017 Open Championship was a great tournament and Jordan Spieth is a great champion. Play the final five holes in a major championship in five-under and you will win a lot of them. Especially if you can make some big bogey putts along the way.