Jordan Spieth Produced a Psycho Scorecard for the Ages at Hero World Challenge

Spieth only carded five pars but still sits just one shot off the lead.

If there’s anyone on the PGA Tour who can manage to shoot a 4-under 68 with just five pars on his scorecard, it’s Jordan Spieth. 

And during Round 1 of the Hero World Challenge at Albany that’s exactly what the three-time major champion did. 

“It was an electric factory out there, for sure,” Spieth said after the round.

Jordan Spieth shot an unconventional 68 on Thursday at the Hero World Challenge :: David Cannon/Getty Images

With a 35 on the front nine and a 33 on the back, Spieth’s card consisted of five pars, six birdies, four bogeys, one double bogey and two eagles. That’s a lot of squares and circles—the perfect recipe for true psycho scorecard. 

For 10 consecutive holes, Nos. 8-17, Spieth didn’t make a par. 

Jordan Spieth.

Proving there's more than one way to shoot 68 since 1993. pic.twitter.com/D3OAeScRBU

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 30, 2023

“Some rusty putting, a couple toe balls and then a lot of really, really good stuff. So all in all I would have probably signed for 4 under when I was warming up today, I just didn't think I'd get there this way,” he said. 

The first sign that Spieth could have a rollercoaster round came on the par-5 3rd hole, where he hit a 260-yard approach to kick-in range for eagle. His second eagle of the day came on Albany’s final par 5, where he holed a 59-foot putt—a Spieth special.  

But Spieth also hit some wayward shots, which aren’t totally out of character. He described his tee shot on 16 into the native areas as one of his worst of the round. 

“I was just so not committed,” Spieth said. “I changed shots when I was over it.”

Expectations weren’t particularly high for Spieth heading into the invitational event. In his pre-tournament press conference the Texan revealed that he reinjured his wrist at home just one week after the Ryder Cup and was forced to take two weeks off. 

Spieth discovered that his wrist pain stems from his ulnar nerve, which controls the motion in the forearm, hand and fingers. 

“I was out for another couple of weeks,” he said. “I finally got to the bottom of everything, so I've had really good physical therapists and had to add that into my routine in the last couple months, and will continue to. But essentially got to the bottom of it and was able to get in some really good work.”

Additionally, Spieth’s longtime caddie Michael Greller is taking the week off. Spieth’s high school teammate Eric Leyendecker is filling in as his looper for the limited-field event, which is hosted by Tiger Woods.

At 4 under, Spieth sits one shot behind the leaders Tony Finau and Brian Harman. He tees off Friday alongside Cameron Young at 12:19 p.m. ET for Round 2 in the no-cut event.