Jordan Spieth, the professional golfer who has carved a niche for himself on the PGA Tour, narrowly missed out on qualifying for the forthcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational. Despite delivering a commendable performance at the Cognizant Classic, Spieth fell short by three strokes, a blow that was felt deeply by the golfing star. Reflecting on his disappointment, he confessed, “I really wish I was starting next week. It’s been a fantastic venue for me. But I needed to perform better… I suppose that’s the injury from last year.”
Spieth is not the only significant absence from the forthcoming event. Jake Knapp, who scored an exceptional 59 in the first round, also fell short of the cut after a tough conclusion. Spieth, while assessing his performance, expressed that his golfing skills were still not at their optimal level. “I truly believe I’m playing good golf, but I’m only about 60% of the control tee to green that I know I’m capable of,” he admitted. He attributed a costly triple bogey on the 17th hole as the turning point in his game, despite being “one swing away” from a chance to win.
In a post from the official account of Monday Q Info, an interesting perspective on the exemption status was shared. The post suggested that if Spieth and fellow golfer Rickie wanted to play, earn points, and prepare for THE PLAYERS – the unofficial Major of the season starting on March 13 – they could have participated in the Puerto Rico Open. This event, scheduled concurrently with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, could have given them an opportunity to rack up more points for the TPC Sawgrass.
The post further stressed that the Puerto Rico Open would have been thrilled to have them. It was pointed out that many players have leveraged opposite-field events to either kickstart their careers or revive their games following a rough patch or injury. The unique blend of struggling or recovering veterans and ambitious young players all vying for their moment in the spotlight is what makes these opposite-field events so special.
Three months after turning pro, Spieth, a former University of Texas standout, found himself in a tie for the lead as the Puerto Rico Open was winding down on Sunday. However, a bogey on the 16th hole set him back, allowing Scott Brown to claim the victory. Spieth was trying to become the youngest PGA Tour winner in modern history. The 19-year-old, a two-time U.S. Junior champion, shot all four rounds in the 60s (69-66-67-67) to finish at 19-under 269.
His second-place finish earned him a spot in the following week’s Tampa Bay Championship, a significant feat since non-members like Spieth are only permitted seven sponsor exemptions per season on the PGA Tour. Responding to this, one commentator noted, “It’s where Spieth began his tour status journey after failing at the second stage of Q School the previous autumn. A return would be a great storyline.”
Both Spieth and Fowler have been struggling with their performances over the past two years. Last season, Spieth participated in 22 events, failing to secure any wins and only managing to finish in the top 10 three times. Fowler’s performance was similar, if not worse. He participated in 23 events last year and only managed a top 10 finish at the ZOZO Championship.
The golfing community seems to agree with these observations, with one commentator stating bluntly, “The term Pampered F–ks Tour comes to mind.” What’s your take on Jordan Spieth’s situation? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!