Jordan Spieth holes out bunker shot on the 72nd hole to make playoff, wins John Deere in playoff
On a birdie-filled week at the John Deere Classic, it seemed that Sunday would end Jordan Spieth's run at becoming the first teenager to win on the PGA Tour since 1931.
Spieth turned in 35, 1-under on TPC Deere Run, and people were lapping the youngster, but as we well know, tournaments can change quickly, and that started on the par-4 13th. The 19-year-old made a birdie there, followed it up with another on the 14th, and despite a bogey on No. 15, added two more as he came to the long par-4 18th with a very long shot at possibly making a playoff.
Spieth's second shot found the greenside bunker, and needing to hole it to get to 19-under, caught the flagstick and the ball dropped for an unexpected birdie and a final round 65.
He still didn't have his hands on the trophy, having to outlast Zach Johnson and David Hearn in a playoff that went five holes before Spieth's par bettered Hearn's bogey, but the shot of the week, and one of the best of 2013, came on the 72nd hole from that bunker.
The win gives Spieth full-time membership on the PGA Tour along with a chance at the FedEx Cup playoffs, where he currently sits 11th thanks to the win. Also the red-hot youngster now gets a chance at the Claret Jug as his win gives him a spot at Muirfield next week, meaning he will be adding a few unexpected flier miles as he heads across the pond to compete in his first ever British Open.
It also means that Spieth pulled something off that Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and basically any household name in the last 82 years were never able to do; win as a teenager. The victory was the first time someone still in their teens won on the PGA Tour since a guy named Ralph Guldahl did so at the 1931 Santa Monica Open.
Guldahl went on to win two U.S. Opens and a Masters over his career, along with 12 other PGA Tour tournaments.
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