Spieth’s ‘chicken wing’
Jordan Spieth pauses on the 18th green before putting out during the final round of the Masters golf tournament Sunday, April 10, 2016, in Augusta, Ga. AP
IT HAS taken me some time to write about the unexpected victory of Danny Willet, son of a preacher, and the mind-boggling collapse of Jordan Spieth at golf’s first major of the year, the Masters.
Willet wasn’t even supposed to be in the 2016 Masters, one of golf’s most coveted titles, because he prioritized his family before his golf career. But since his wife gave birth earlier than he had expected, he proceeded to play and the golfing gods smiled on him.
But the real story that will continue to baffle me is the sudden collapse of three-day leader Spieth.
He birdied the last four holes of the front nine and had such a commanding five-shot lead that I did not expect him to lose everything in just three holes.
This is my take on what caused that collapse:
Spieth’s phenomenal rise has definitely earned him the label of the next golf superstar, following in the footsteps of Tiger Woods, in terms of achievements at a very young age.
However, I have always questioned his fundamentals, which I felt are suspect during heavy-pressure situations.
He is the only golf professional on the US PGA Tour who uses a very “weak” grip. This makes him swing through the ball with what golf gurus and commentators call a “chicken wing.”
On a missed shot, the result of this action is usually a blocked shot that lands way off target.
The way he missed his drives on the last two holes of the second and third rounds of the Masters was already an indication that he was not comfortable with his swing.
And on the last day, his quadruple bogey on the famous par-3 No. 12 was just unbelievable. It is very unusual to miss shots like those if you are a professional.
However, his recovery from this horrendous hole showed the stuff he is made of. It’s one of the reasons why he is one of golf’s finest players today.
He exudes a heart that appears to be equal to the ones that came before him. It will be very interesting to watch him in the next three Majors.
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