Turbulent Round Highlights Spieth’s TPC Sawgrass Struggles

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Jordan Spieth is facing familiar challenges at The Players Championship, battling inconsistency despite showing promising form. After completing a 4-under 68 in Round 2, Spieth expressed frustration with his finish, a recurring theme in his history at TPC Sawgrass.

A Round of Two Halves

Spieth’s second round began with a bogey, but he quickly found his stride, carding six birdies in seven holes, including a 50-foot putt on the second hole. This surge briefly placed him within four strokes of the lead. However, a double bogey on the ninth hole – his final hole of the day – mirrored a similar finish to his first round, leaving him seven strokes off the lead.

“Things are really good, and I need to have even more patience here than I do other places,” Spieth said. “It’s just, 13 times in a row I continue to just — something gets me here, and I just don’t quite have the patience for it.”

Recent Form and Wrist Recovery

The three-time major champion is in his second season following wrist surgery in August 2024. He has not secured a PGA Tour victory in nearly four years, but has shown signs of improvement with recent top-12 finishes. Spieth attributes his improved play to his wrist feeling “awesome,” allowing him to regain control and confidence in his game.

“My wrist, it’s awesome,” Spieth said. “I don’t think much about it. There’s days where I wake up and it’s tighter and I’ve got to get it loosened up because one of the key factors to my ball control is using my wrists more. I used to leverage it a lot more and then I got away from it when I was hurt. So it is really nice. It was nice to work on structure in the off-season and not worry about rehab or anything like that.”

He added, “So I’ve mentioned this the last two weeks, the last two or three tournaments, just feels like things are getting better and better each week.”

Frustration with Finishing

Despite the positive strides, Spieth expressed disappointment with his closing holes.

“I toed a drive on 18 yesterday and then on one of the easiest holes I made a 7 today,” Spieth said, “and it’s just a bit of a bummer to finish that way, right? They don’t tell the story of how I’m really playing; they were just two swings that I just needed to miss on the other side.”

Spieth sits at 3 under through 36 holes, nine strokes behind leader Ludvig Åberg.

FAQ

• What is Jordan Spieth’s best finish at The Players Championship? A T-4.
• When did Jordan Spieth have wrist surgery? August 2024.
• How long has it been since Jordan Spieth’s last PGA Tour win? Nearly four years.