The one hole from 2015 that Jordan Spieth wants back
A lot of things went right for Jordan Spieth in 2015.
He won the Masters, avenging a disappointing final 10 holes the year prior to hand a second green jacket to Bubba Watson. He also won the U.S. Open, joining a small group of players to win the first two majors of a calendar year. He reached No. 1 in the world, even in defeat to Jason Day at the PGA Championship. He won the FedEx Cup and completed a season of over $22 million in PGA Tour earnings.
However, there’s one event, down to one hole, that Spieth wishes he could do all over again.
”My first putt on No. 8,” Spieth said to the Associated Press, speaking of the British Open final round in July at St. Andrews.
Spieth found the green at the par-3 but hit his birdie putt far too hard, rolling just off the green. From there, he needed three more putts, leading to what seemed like a crushing double bogey.
”I made a mistake, and it cost me at least a shot,” Spieth said. ”The wind was sideways and it was into the rain and I was thinking it would be slow. I’d left it short all week and I didn’t want to leave that one short. And, obviously, I didn’t.”
Now this is where we get into true What If territory. If Spieth completes the two-putt there and everything else goes the same, Spieth wins. However, who knows if that double bogey didn’t wind up motivating Spieth to offsetting birdies on the next two holes.
While the eighth is the hole that sticks out, Spieth also knows he had some disappointing shots on the final two holes, including missing a 5-foot putt for par on the Road Hole 17th and coming up short of the green with his wedge approach to the 18th hole.
”You can say maybe the putt on 17,” Spieth said. ”But everyone missed that putt – it’s not an easy one. And everyone says the wedge on 18.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
LISTEN TO OUR WEEKLY GOLF PODCAST! This week: Setting the bar after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods
