Jordan Spieth

Spieth predicting low scores at the U.S. Open

June 14, 2017 By Bill Scott

Jordan Spieth signs autographs during a practice round ahead of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills in Erin, Wash. on Monday, June 12, 2017. (Copyright USGA/Jeff Haynes)

2015 U.S. Open Champion Jordan Spieth is predicting the winner of the 2017 Open at Erin Hills will go lower than most at a U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy won in 2011 by finishing 16-under par, but that isn’t par for the course at a normally difficult U.S. Open. In fact, if you take McIlroy’s score out if the equation, the average winning score since 2006 has been 1.1 strokes under par.

Spieth told reporters on Tuesday that someone who has good control of the ball off the tee will have plenty of opportunities to make birdies, given the conditions that are expected.

Those conditions are for off and on rain throughout the tournament, which will leave the green’s soft and receptive to the type of target shooting that the pro’s love.

AUDIO: Jordan Spieth asked what will win this U.S. Open :17

Jason Day, who won the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, said he doesn’t care about the winning score, as long as he figures into the race. [Read more…]

Day captures his first Major, wins PGA

August 17, 2015 By Bill Scott

Jason Day – Photo courtesy of PGA Tour/Jamie Squire (Getty Images)

It was just weeks ago that Jason Day collapsed at the U.S. Open because of Vertigo. He had the 54-hole lead for the second straight Major and for the second straight time, couldn’t hold it together.

Sunday at Whistling Straits, Day would enter the final round of the 97th PGA Championship with the 54-hole lead. This time he would hang on and pull away, holding off Jordan Spieth to pull out a 3-shot win. He shot a 5-under par 67 and broke the 72-hole major championship scoring record with a 20-under-par 268. He can no longer be labeled the best golfer without a major.

Day made seven birdies and just two bogeys and was dominant with his driver all day. On the par-5 eleventh hole, Spieth’s drive went 302 yards. When he walked up to his ball, he could see that Day’s drive was another 80 yards up ahead.

“We’ve played a lot of major championship rounds together and that was the best I’ve ever seen him play,” said Spieth. [Read more…]

Storm forces postponement at PGA Championship

August 15, 2015 By Bill Scott

This is what’s left of the main leaderboard at Whistling Straits after a storm blew through Friday afternoon.

High winds, lightning, heavy rain and hail came quickly and forced play at the 97th PGA Championship to be suspended. The second round will resume at 7am Saturday morning followed by round three.

Jason Day and Matt Jones still have to complete their second rounds, but they share the lead at 9-under par. Day has four holes left to play in round two, while Jones has six holes left to play. Justin Rose has one hole left in his second round. He is at 8-under par, 1-shot off the lead.

Hiroshi Iwata tied a major championship record and set the course record with an impressive nine-under-par 63. Iwata started the day plus-four. George Coetze fired a seven-under-par 65, Henrik Stenson shot a 6-under par 66 and Jordan Spieth finished his round at five-under 67, standing now at 6-under for the tournament.

Madison’s Steve Stricker was at -3 for the tournament with two holes to play in his second round when he double bogeyed number-8. He then saved par on the 9th and final hole by chipping in from off the green. [Read more…]

First official PGA practice round is underway

August 10, 2015 By Bill Scott

Most of the 156 golfers at the P-G-A Championship will be on hand today for practice rounds. It’s the third time in 12 years that the season’s final major is at Whistling Straits at Haven, near Sheboygan.

The first two events at Whistling Straits ended in playoffs. Vijay Singh won a three-way showdown in 2004. Germany’s Martin Kaymer won the 2010 crown after Dustin Johnson blew the title with a bunker shot violation on the final hole. Spectators will sit over that bunker this year.

The P-G-A says no more tickets will be sold for Saturday’s and Sunday’s rounds. [Read more…]

Spieth captures Masters, Stricker finishes strong

April 13, 2015 By Bill Scott

Jordan Spieth – Photo: JordanSpiethgolf.com

21-year-old Jordan Spieth took his place among the best in the game by winning the Masters on Sunday at Augusta, Georgia.

Spieth lost a bid to become the youngest Masters champion a year ago. This time Spieth led wire-to-wire, becoming the first to do so since Raymond Floyd last to pull it off in 1976.

Spieth never let anyone get closer to him than three shots after his record start. He closed with a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday.

Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose both tried to make a final day run. But neither could put enough heat on Spieth to really threaten him. Mickelson and Rose finished tied for second. It’s the 10th time that Mickelson has been runner-up in a major.

AUDIO: Jordan Spieth is overwhelmed with emotion :16

AUDIO: Jordan Spieth knows how important winning a green jacket is :15 [Read more…]

Watson wins second green jacket, Stricker struggles

April 14, 2014 By Bill Scott

Bubba Watson won his second green jacket in the last three years on Sunday, firing a final round 3-under par 69 to beat Jordan Spieth and Jonas Blixt by three shots.

Watson finished at 8-under-par 280 and earned more than $1.6 million for the win. After his win, he spent time high-fiving fans around the 18th green before making his way to the clubhouse.

Spieth had a two-shot lead after seven holes but shot a 37 on the back nine to finish with an even par 72. When Spieth needed to make putts, he failed, subsequently never really pushing Watson down the stretch. [Read more…]