Jordan Spieth shatters fan’s phone, makes par anyway

Jordan Spieth is no stranger to adventurous golf.

Every time he swings the club, he has fans on the edge of their seats. Many have said watching Spieth play golf is like riding a rollercoaster — and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Each swing makes you hold your breath, as a brilliant outcome is just as likely as a disastrous one. On Thursday at Austin Country Club, he added yet another chapter to that fascinating legacy.

Standing on the 7th tee at the par-3 7th, Spieth was one up in his match with Taylor Montgomery. The round was without much fanfare through the first six holes, as the Texan made three birdies and just one bogey, but with one swing, that all changed.

With the wind at his back, Spieth’s tee shot flew well long and right of his target and sailed into the crowd of fans surrounding the green. The broadcast crew mentioned hearing a “clank” as it rattled through the mass of bodies, and the culprit was an unlikely source.

“Next thing I know, it feels like someone’s dead-legging me in the leg,” said one fan. “I look down and I see Jordan’s ball trickling down. I was like, ‘Oh crap man, that hit my phone.’”

Sure enough, Spieth’s ball had nailed a fan’s phone while it was in his pocket, shattering the screen.

“It was kind of crazy,” the fan added, noting that Spieth promised to make reparations after the round.

Spieth’s adventure was far from over, though. After hitting the fan’s phone, his ball rolled through the mulch and settled next to the cart path.

Spieth found the nearest point of relief within two club-lengths of his ball. After conferring with the rules official for several minutes, he finally made a drop and got the ball back in play. However, the spot he dropped had broadcast equipment — a temporary immovable obstruction — between his ball and the hole, meaning he would have the option to drop again.

With the rules official attached to his hip, Spieth scoped out every available option. But after assessing the potential spots, he eventually elected to play from his original drop location behind the green.

“He has elected to play from just left of the boulder off the back here,” the broadcaster said. “And this is a fortunate break.”

Spieth eventually chipped his shot onto the green (noting he missed his spot by “a yard”) and left himself with about 30 feet for par. And, in typical Spieth fashion, he rolled in the par putt to tie the hole with Montgomery.

“Oh my goodness,” the announcer said. “Someone’s been robbed.”

Just another day on the Jordan Spieth rollercoaster.