The Masters: Can Jordan Speith Repeat?

[regaleagle]

Go Jordan.....I'm pulling for you, young man. What a wonderful role model you are for the game of golf to all the youth in America. Don't look at the Leader Board until the 16th. Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, and the ever-youthful 58 yr. old Bernhard Langer are all lurking within several strokes of becoming today's 2016 Masters Champion. Jason Day.......what can you say about him, huh? Same for Bernhard Langer.....just Wow oh wow!! Do you like golf, or do you love it like me? I have been golfing now for 50 yrs. I took my first lessons from Stanley Wright, the Pro at the Beeville Country Club waaay back in 1966 at the ripe age of 12. Now I am 61 and I have never lost my love for the game. Who do you like in today's contest, folks? :cool:

[regaleagle]

On a Sunday at the Masters......................................Must be nice, huh? :rolleyes:

[regaleagle]

Most probably one of the most difficult sports just to be a decent player........and one of the oldest sports, if not the oldest still being played.

[regaleagle]

With the improved equipment thru technology today, I can hit my drives as far or even further on a regular basis than I did when I was 18.......true dat! About 265 is my average drive. I have been able to reach 300 yds. on a rare hit......drove one that long last summer.

[regaleagle]

It's not just the clubs, but the golfballs as much today. There are so many different types to choose from according to your level of play, your swing speed, the conditions of the course and the weather you will be playing......but I prefer the Titleist Pro V1's and I also like Callaway's new Supersoft ball. I hit Titleist clubs.....the AP2 Pro Irons 3-9 irons with the 48, 52, and 56 degree matching wedges. The shafts are the 105 Titanium Stiff. My woods are Titleist graphite shaft Diamante 75's 909F2's.....a 15.5 degree loft and a 18.5 degree loft fairway woods. The Driver I use is the Taylor Made R9(2009 Model) with a Fujikura 60 graphite shaft that I can literally crunch. I really love this driver. It has a big head and is just so balanced and easy to pound. My putter is an older model Karsten Ping Zing 2i that I've had for many years. I golf right-handed and putt left-handed. I do most everything right-handed, except bat and putt. Both sports I did well in from the left side. I was a high-average batter, and I'm a very good putter. Wonder if that says something.......:smoker:

I almost forgot to mention my 21-degree loft Nike Hybrid that I use out of the rough and on long par 3's in lieu of a 2-iron. I can hit it about 210. It has a stiff graphite shaft as well, and I really love this club too. It has been an excellent club to have in my bag.

[lostaussie]

I don't play anymore...... But I do enjoy Sunday at The Masters...... Just like I'm doing today. Spieth is owning this course at the moment!!!

[regaleagle]

Jordan started the day at 3 under and the lead by a stroke over another 22 yr. old and friend of Jordan's.....Smiley Kaufman, who is his playing partner in the last grouping today. Jordan has managed to increase his lead to 5 under thru the first 7 holes and is looking at another birdie putt now on #8. Dustin Johnson has birdied back-to-back holes and also has a short birdie putt on 11 to try to get to 2 under. Actually, Jordan had a short chip just off the green for an eagle, but will settle for birdie on the par-5 8th hole. Jordan makes the short putt to go to 6 under......4 birdies on his card in the first 8 holes, but with a bogey mixed in.

[regaleagle]

Now Jordan birdies #9 with a great putt. He's birdied 6, 7, 8, and 9 in the outward half......just WOW!!!

[regaleagle]

So Jordan stretches his lead by one more stroke to finish the front 9 and go to 7 under......a 5-shot lead now with 9 holes to play......to repeat as the youngest Masters Champion in history to win 2 Masters. That record is currently held by Jack Nicklaus and the age of 25. It's starting to look like he may be able to do it, folks.

[regaleagle]

Some crazy stuff going on at the par-3 16th today with the pin placement designed for the balls to funnel to the hole. 3 hole in ones so far and a chip in for birdie.

[lostaussie]

Spieth with a bogey at 10 and a sprayed tee shot at 11. Is there a chink in the armour??

[regaleagle]

Yeah......he's been driving badly all week long and has been using his 3-wood off many tees today. So he's not driving the ball well, and still leading the tournament by 3 strokes over England's Danny Willett.....who just so happens to be playing very well today and all of this week.

[regaleagle]

Willett birdies and Spieth bogies 10 and 11 to cut his lead now to only one stroke over Willett. Jordan does have 2 par-5's left to play, however.

[regaleagle]

Now he hits one in the water on the par-3 12th.....the wheels are beginning to come off as he mishits another one......just came up short and left. Not even close, so it was just a mishit by Jordan......in a really bad time for him right after the back-to-back bogies to start the back 9.

[regaleagle]

I would say Jordan will lose another stroke here on the 12th and drop down into a tie for the lead with Willett.....depending on what Willett does on his hole right now.

[regaleagle]

Now Jordan hits another one in the water on another fat hit.....from a drop of his choice in yardage. He's in a meltdown right now. Now he hits one over the green and into the back bunker for his 5th shot on the relatively easy par-3 12th hole......just unbelievable and hard to watch. I doubt if Jordan has ever hit one that fat in his career.

[regaleagle]

He hits a pretty good shot out of the back bunker, but will end up with a 7 on this par 3.....if he makes the putt. Bye bye Masters, Jordan. A quadruple bogey on a benign par-3 where you MUST get it past the water on a short hole. Wow oh wow. Willett has the lead now as he pars to remain at -4 and Jordan falls like a rock to -1.....on a nightmare hole for anybody to have.

[lostaussie]

Now we shall see what he is made of. I think he can come back.

[regaleagle]

Willett is on the par 3 16th now....that hole that funnels to the pin. He hits one close. All he needs to do is birdie this one and he's looking pretty strong with only 17 and 18 left to par. But anything and everything can happen on this course on the final round in the Masters......just as we saw happen to Jordan Spieth. Jordan needs to have a remarkable finish to win now....or to even get to a playoff.

[regaleagle]

Lee Westwood of England is in 2nd place now behind Willett by one stroke at 3 under. Dustin Johnson is on in 2 on the par 5 and will be looking at a possible eagle, but should make at least birdie.....but with his putting you never know.

[regaleagle]

Willett birdies 16 to lead Westwood by 2 with at 5 under with only 2 holes to play. Less than a hour ago he was 5 back of the lead by Jordan.....but Jordan helped a lot by dropping 4 strokes on that par 3 12th.

[regaleagle]

Westwood misses the short putt and bogies, so he drops down to 2 under, and Jordan will try to birdie this par 5. Meanwhile D. Johnson will try to make this eagle to get to 4 under.....one behind leader Willett. Good luck Dustin.

[regaleagle]

Never high enough, but a tap-in birdie for DJ to go 3 under and in 2nd place.

[regaleagle]

Jordan birdies the par 5 13th to get within 3 of Willett, but has a lot of work to do. His best hope is that Willett does not par out. Meanwhile, DJ is lurking at 3 under and has the ability.....if he can somehow harness it right now.

[regaleagle]

Now Jordan's tee ball on 14 goes into the trees.....not a good sign.

[regaleagle]

Willett misses the green on 17 and will have a test to get it up and down for par.

[regaleagle]

Johnson on the par 3 16th but leaves it for a lengthy birdie chance.

[regaleagle]

Jordan caught a break and hit a tree and his ball ends up in the fairway about 208 out off that wayward tee shot.

[regaleagle]

Willett makes a magical chip to give him a tap-in for par on 17......just a very difficult chip that was executed as well as you could hope for.

[regaleagle]

Johnson misses birdie on the par 3 16th. Jordan did reach the green and will be putting for an unrealistic birdie on 14.

[regaleagle]

Beginning to look like Willett will win this one.....unless something crazy happens again.

[regaleagle]

Jordan's long birdie putt slides by on 14. He really needed that one.....he's running out of holes and opportunities on a very tough course.

[regaleagle]

Jordan pars 14, but is 3 behind with only 4 holes left.

[regaleagle]

Dustin Johnson is 2 behind with 2 holes left, and Willett's tee ball is sitting pretty in the 18th fairway.

[regaleagle]

Willett hit a beauty to the 18th green and will have a medium downhiller for birdie. McElroy birdied from the same position earlier.

[regaleagle]

Willett has definitely played the best golf today and really has played a very strong game all week.

[regaleagle]

Jordan lays up on the par 5 15th. Now he needs to hit it close, get the birdie, and birdie 2 more just to have a chance.....if Willett doesn't birdie 18.

[regaleagle]

Willett's putt is off and he will have a little tester for par. Meanwhile Jordan's approach is within 6 feet for birdie. Willett's putt is really just as tap-in as he ends up with par and the leader in the clubhouse at 5 under. Only 2 golfers on the course can possibly catch him.

[regaleagle]

DJ will not catch him....he bogies, no he double bogies 17 because his putter is his nemesis. He drops 2 strokes. Now Jordan MUST make this birdie putt on 15 to get to within 2 of Willett at -3. It's a 6 footer, but he backs off for a moment. And he makes it! Jordan Spieth is not done yet! Now he moves to the par 3 16th that could be a birdie hole if his shot is a good one.

[regaleagle]

Spieth's teeball just went right pass the flag and ends up within 6 feet again for a makeable birdie on 16. Let's see what will happen. He really needs this birdie now to have any chance on 17 and 18.

[regaleagle]

Spieth with a downhiller that is very fast and will turn alot. He must get it started online and hope it breaks into the hole. It's one of those speed putts that is tricky. NOPE....it goes past the hole 5 feet.....he hit it too hard. It needed to be only touched, not stroked. Uphill for par goes in, but he remains 2 back with 2 left. He's gone bogey, bogey, quadruple bogey, birdie, birdie, par on the back 9 today.....not normal at all for Jordan.

[regaleagle]

Now Jordan is the only golfer left on the course that can tie Willett. He needs to finish birdie, birdie just for a tie. A birdie on 16 would have been very big, but now his chances have been greatly diminished.

[regaleagle]

This will be a great learning experience for Jordan today. He didn't come into this tournament with his game ready, and now you can see that it wasn't. But he's such a good putter and manager of the course that he "managed" to lead this tournament all 4 days. His bunker shot on 17 is short and leaves him a tough putt for par now. His wayward 2nd shot missed the green from a very good position in the fairway. The wheels just came off on the par 3 12th today, and that was his undoing.

[regaleagle]

Jordan's putt for par slides by on 17 after that delicate bunker shot was short. Willett will be crowned as the 2016 Masters Champion and don the Green Jacket, which Jordan will put on him. I'm sure that will be a bitter taste for Jordan today.

[regaleagle]

He was leading this tournament after 9 holes by 5 shots, but went AWOL on 10, 11, and 12. A couple of bogies on the back 9 and he still wins, but not to be today for Jordan. This is a real blowup for this tournament by a leader on the last day that I cannot remember happening in recent years. I don't remember it ever happening on the final day in my lifetime, but I could be wrong. Leading by 5 strokes with 9 holes to play. Very shocking.

[bobcat1]

Tin Cup'd it

[regaleagle]

This will either greatly affect Jordan's confidence in his game, or give him great resolve to get some things straightened out. I think Jordan will go to work and get his game back to where it was last season. It's not off that much, but enough to show up on the final round at the Masters.....on the final back nine, in fact.

[regaleagle]

Tin Cup'd it

Brainfart Deluxe, haha

[regaleagle]

Jordan ends with a par to tie for 2nd. What a tough pill to swallow today, huh sportsfans?

[regaleagle]

On the bright side......he's not really hurting that much compared to most of us, haha.

[bobcat1]

On the bright side......he's not really hurting that much compared to most of us, haha.
Exactly.