Fails
Jordan Spieth bricks backhanded putt during disastrous first round
We weren't joking when we said Jordan Spieth wasted no time showing he's in mid-season form during his first found of the 2022-23 PGA Tour campaign. The dude made a vintage Spieth par on his opening hole of the CJ Cup that involved some TV equipment and a rules official before making a somewhat vintage triple bogey a few holes later. But he saved his best—well, worst—for the back nine.
Whether it's a lack of concentration, an abundance of nerves or a combination of both, the three-time major champ has missed a crazy amount of short putts the past couple seasons. And when we say short, we mean short. It got to the point that even his wife had to step in and give him some advice.
For the most part, Spieth has been solid on these attempts since. But a momentary lapse late in Thursday's round cost him again. After missing a 30-footer for birdie on No. 16, Spieth walked to his ball and casually backhanded it. Just one problem: he bricked it. Have a look:
Yikes. And when you've lost your own Twitter tracker, you know you've really messed up.
This also serves as a reminder that backhanding a putt is never a good idea. Even if you're one of the best players on the planet. And especially when you're playing for a $10.5 million purse.
Spieth put a mark on the next putt and made the four-footer to salvage a bogey, but it was just part of a tough first round of the season. Spieth's four-over-par 75 put him in 73rd place in the 78-man field at Congaree Golf Club.
But in more fitting Spieth fashion, he's on a heater early in his second round with three consecutive birdies. We're guessing we'll be seeing more conventional putting from him the rest of the way.