Spieth, a humble golfer with a quiet Christian faith, says of collapse: 'It will take a while' to recover
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Christian Examiner) – One of the largest collapses in Masters history came from a 22-year-old golfer whose humility and quiet faith have made him a favorite golfer of many fans.
Jordan Spieth led by as many as five strokes in the final round Sunday, but then bogeyed on holes 10 and 11 before he quadruple bogeyed the 12th hole, allowing Danny Willett to pass him to claim the green jacket. Spieth finished tied for second at two-under par, three strokes off Willett's -5.
Spieth won last year's Masters and is ranked second in the world, but the loss Sunday still stung – and he acknowledged he won't forget about it soon.
"This one will hurt," he said. "It will take a while."
He knew what was happening during the round.
"Buddy, it seems like we're collapsing," he said he told his caddy.
The surprising turn of events was so significant that his friend, NBA player and golf fan Steph Curry, fell on the floor during pregame warmups for his basketball game when learning of the news – sort of joking but also out of shock. Curry and Spieth cheer for one another, and Spieth in recent weeks tweeted a picture of the two of them together. Curry had been watching the Masters in the locker room, ESPN reported.
Like Curry, Spieth is also known for his faith, although he is not as outspoken as another Christian golfer, Bubba Watson. Spieth, a graduate of Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, attends Bible study with Watson and others.
"For where Watson is zealously evangelical about his Christian faith, invoking his Lord and Savior at every opportunity, Spieth is notably more reticent," the London Telegraph noted in a feature on Spieth last year.
Still, the fruit of Spieth's faith can be seen in the way he conducts himself on and off the green, led by his impressive humility.
When other golfers were holding banquets last year in Augusta at high-priced restaurants or hotels, Spieth chose to hold his get-together at Chick-fil-A, a personal favorite. Further, instead of driving a pricy sports car, he was still riding around in his Yukon truck, his first vehicle.
Spieth's younger sister, who has a neurological disorder and is developmentally challenged, has had a dramatic impact on his life.
"She's my inspiration. She's the funniest member of our family," he told media at the 2015 Masters. "I really love spending time with her. It is humbling to see her and her friends, and the struggles they go through each day, which we take for granted."