2021 Byron Nelson: Jordan Spieth Lurking with 18 Holes Left

Sam Burns continues to hold the lead at the 2021 Byron Nelson. But among those in hot pursuit of Burns is none other than Jordan Spieth.

The Texas native got off to an outstanding start this week, shooting a 9-under par 63 to share the lead after the first day. However, with the course yielding more low scores on Friday, Spieth was only able to shoot a 2-under par 70, and he slipped into a tie for sixth place through 36 holes.

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So, on Saturday, Spieth needed something good to happen. And while his round started very slowly, it ended with a bang. And Spieth is now firmly in the mix in Dallas.

Spieth was hoping to get something going early in his round on Saturday but he did not get out of the gate quickly. He would par the first five holes of his round.

He finally got into red figures on the sixth hole. On the par four, his approach shot came to rest about five feet from the cup. Spieth rolled in the putt to get to 1-under.

After a par on the seventh hole, Spieth closed his front nine with birdied on the eighth and ninth holes. That left him with a 3-under par 33 on his Saturday front nine.

The back nine was much more eventful for Spieth.

He opened his second nine with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole. After a par on the 11th, Spieth birdied the par-5 12th hole to get to 5-under par on his round.

Spieth would par the 13th hole before another birdie, this one on the par-4 14th hole. Spieth was 6-under par and surging.

But the momentum suddenly went in the other direction on the 15th hole. On the par-3, Spieth hit his tee shot into a greenside bunker. He pitched out to about nine feet but missed his par putt. The bogey dropped him back to 5-under par.

The negative trend continued on the next hole. Spieth hit a good drive on the par-4 16th, and added a decent second shot, getting to about 15 feet for birdie. But he needed three putts to get in the hole, suffering another bogey. He was 4-under at that point.

After a par at the 17th hole, Spieth had the par-5 18th left to play. And his round ended in magnificent fashion.

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Spieth hit his drive in the fairway, about 215 yards from the green. His second shot landed on the green, about 30 feet from the hole. Then, looking like the Spieth of old, he ran the eagle putt in the hole, finishing off a 6-under round of 66.

With 18 holes left, Spieth trails leader Sam Burns by three shots. If he can get things going early on Sunday and others see his name on the leader board, it might be enough to propel Spieth to a second Texas win in the last two months.

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