FedExCup champion Jordan Spieth rebounded from a double-bogey on his opening hole in Friday’s second round to claw his way back into contention at The Barclays in Farmingdale, New York.
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Suddenly at 2-over, the two-time majors champion lingered around the cut line at The Barclays for almost half of his second round, before closing his front-nine with seven pars a nice birdie on No. 18.
“It’s moments like 11 tee box where I really credit Michael a lot for stepping in, being a real positive voice”, Spieth said of his caddie’s influence, having taken four shots to complete the 10th after finding a greenside bunker with his approach.
“But just the level of anger I got to where I want to just throw the club in the bag, you know what I mean, that’s normal out here”. “But there’s nothing good that necessarily comes out of it”.
Still Spieth was two over after eight holes and making the cut became a real question, as the projected cut line was two over and scoring conditions were quickly improving with the afternoon wave beginning to play.
That difference-maker made up six shots on his final 10 holes and vaulted into contention for the weekend. It’s easy to say that with the way the scorecard was afterwards, but it’s true.
Spieth is at 4-under par for the tournament, one shot back of Ryan Moore’s clubhouse lead.
He birdied the 18th, then made three birdies and an eagle over the next five holes and from miles back at 2 over, Spieth was 4 under, much to his delight.
“I’m naturally very competitive, it’s in my DNA”, Spieth said, “but even though I lost it was fun”. But by the time I hit the next one, it’s over. And he said he couldn’t have done it without his attitude shift.
“I remember being right there, and it was nearly like the wheels just came off the back nine the first day”, he recalled about last year’s Barclays. “Noticed that it was probably because I was a little groggy from not sleeping much”.
Jordan Spieth (left) with Rory McIlroy during the third round of the 2016 Masters. “It’s getting there”, insisted McIlroy, whose resume this season might make you wonder why he feels the need to apologize.
“A little bit stop, start”, McIlroy said of his inability to stay on a roll.
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“At that point, I’m thinking, ‘Let’s go ahead and try to get to even for the tournament.’ But we started getting some momentum. I’m trying to take a long-term view on things”, McIlroy said.
