Jordan Spieth threatens course record, ignites fans at Waste Management Phoenix Open
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jordan Spieth lit up the leaderboard and fired up the fans on Saturday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Starting his day at 8 under, he went right to work with birdies on 3, 4, 6 and 8, making the turn in 31, leading to an outpouring of love on the internet.
On the 10th hole, Spieth was chipping from 68 feet away and rolled it in for another birdie, then followed that with another birdie on 11.
He then birdied the two par 5s, the 13th and the 15th, for the second day in a row.
On the infamous 16th, Spieth’s tee shot landed 36 feet, 8 inches away. No matter. Spieth calmly rolled it in for a birdie to get to 8 under.
Jordan Spieth is fired up.
He's back on top.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/XmORGlN7Mk
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 6, 2021
But he wasn’t done. On the driveable par-4 17th, after pushing his tee shot right and chipping on, Spieth drained another bomb, this time from 29 feet, 5 inches away, his fourth putt of 25 feet or more so far this week. That got him to 10 under for his round.
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A birdie on 18 would have tied the course record of 60 but his putt came up just short. He tapped in for a 61, tying his career PGA Tour low. He walked off the course a 18 under and a one-shot lead on Xander Schauffele.
Spieth was T-7 in 2015 and T-9 in 2017 but he missed the cut the last two times here at TPC Scottsdale, in 2018 and 2020.
On Sunday, he’ll be aiming for his first win since 2017.
