2021 Charles Schwab Challenge: Top 10 power rankings at Colonial CC

Jordan Spieth is playing in his home metropolis for the second time in three weeks. He contended at the AT&T Byron Nelson (T-9th) and now comes to a course that better suits his game in Colonial.

The Dallas resident makes the short trip to Fort Worth for the Charles Schwab Challenge. He’s played this event annually since making it on the PGA Tour in 2013 with a win in 2016 as the highlight. Spieth has made every cut and finished no worse than T-32nd.

The former Texas Longhorn finished T-2nd and just one shot back in 2015. That was another of a whopping six top-10s here at Hogan’s Alley.

“It’s a par-70, and typically these fairways are so small, the fairway percentages go down for everybody, so I think it’s kind of just about staying patient, not trying to force anything on this course, and letting kind of 3-, 4-under do the trick,” Spieth said of Colonial in a 2020 ASAP Sports transcription.

Spieth had high expectations going into last week’s PGA Championship. He was just over a month removed from his first win since 2017 at the Valero Texas Open. A T-3rd at the Masters and his Byron Nelson performance set the table for the three-time major champion to complete the career grand slam.

Spieth’s ball striking was good enough at Kiawah Island to give himself a chance to contend on Sunday.

Unfortunately, his trusty Scotty Cameron putter went cold. Perhaps it was the unique and slow paspalum greens, but he couldn’t make good on solid approach shots.

I expect that to change on much more familiar bentgrass greens. He’s 38th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting (.417). Not to mention, Colonial is a place that doesn’t require driver on many holes. Spieth is improved with the big stick this season, but it’s not always a sure thing.

There’s a solid field on hand this week in the DFW. By the same token, Spieth can win here even with his ‘B’ game. The small greens can be tough to hit. He’s 14th in SG around the green (.39).

Expect him to be fired up from last week’s letdown to put on a show in front of his adoring galleries.