Jordan Spieth’s return to tournament golf on Thursday was underscored by the three-time major winner falling victim to new safety measures put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Spieth played in a
group with retired NFL star Tony Romo as he and other PGA Tour pros teed it up
in a no-spectator invitational charity event in Dallas.
Spieth was denied a
hole-in-one on the par-three 110-yard 17th after his tee shot flew
straight into the cup only to have it hit a plastic insert and bounce out and
roll into a water hazard.
The ball didn’t
stick because organizers of the Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational inserted
social distancing plastic slats into each cup for protection so players wouldn’t
have to bend so far down to retrieve their ball.
Spieth told
ESPN.com he can’t remember the exact date of his last hole in one.
“It never left the
flag,” Spieth said. “I knew it was going to land somewhere around the hole. It’s
my first one in probably three or four years. I kind of had a three- or
four-year streak where I had a few and I’ve been shut out for a while.
“I’m going to count
it. It was one of those where it most likely would have stayed in. Hopefully it’s
a good omen.”
Spieth played just
one round of the tournament to raise money for out of work golf caddies,
joining Romo’s group on the final day of the 54-hole event.
In an attempt to
prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event was played without galleries and
players were not allowed to have caddies. Golfers weren’t allowed to remove the
flagsticks and no rakes were used in the bunkers.
Because he only
played one round, Spieth had no chance to win the event. That honor went to PGA
Tour rookie Scottie Scheffler, who finished ahead of Norway’s Viktor
Hovland and Will Zalatoris. Scheffler shot a final-round 67 to win by one.