SI

Meet the Fan Who Saved Jordan Spieth's Weekend By Getting Drilled By His Tee Shot

Lt. Col. Matt Cutler was struck by Spieth's tee shot on Friday, saving his ball from splashing in the water. Spieth made eagle and then made the cut. The history is still being written.

Alex Miceli

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Lt. Col. Matt Cutler was just minding his own business when Jordan Spieth came calling.

Spieth, who was in desperate need of something positive to happen stood on the par-5 9th hole on Friday afternoon, his last of the day at 2-over-par and at the time inside the cut line by one shot.

It had been a terrible last eight holes for Spieth, who was 4-over in that stretch, and he needed at least a birdie if not more to make the cut.

Fresh off a bogey at the par-3 8th hole, Spieth was clearly a little hot under the collar. His tee shot on 9 started fading right and toward the water.

Then Cutler’s left knee saved Spieth’s Titleist from finding the pond.

According to Cutler, a respectful Spieth walked up and checked on Cutler, who was O.K., but the three kids standing next to Cutler teased Spieth: “Why’d you hit him?”

“I was like, well, he didn’t mean to hit me,” Cutler said he told the kids in defense of Spieth. “He slipped on the tee box.”

Spieth offered to provide some signed mementos, but Cutler who had tours in Okinawa, Germany, and multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, didn’t need anything.

The PGA Tour came up with tickets and after the third round, Spieth signed a Players flag and wrote “To Matt, Sorry and Thanks, Jordan Spieth.”

Spieth made eagle after hitting Cutler to make the cut by two shots and then shot a third-round 66 on Saturday that left him with a fleeting chance to catch leader Scottie Scheffler.

Cutler’s knee stands to help make Jordan Spieth a nice paycheck this weekend.

“My brother let me know it's over a million as of this morning,” Cutler said.

And if Spieth wins, well that’s the stuff of which fairy tales are made.

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Alex Miceli
ALEX MICELI

Alex Miceli, a journalist and radio/TV personality who has been involved in golf for 26 years, was the founder of Morning Read and eventually sold it to Buffalo Groupe. He continues to contribute writing, podcasts and videos to SI.com. In 1993, Miceli founded Golf.com, which he sold in 1999 to Quokka Sports. One year later, he founded Golf Press Association, an independent golf news service that provides golf content to news agencies, newspapers, magazines and websites. He served as the GPA’s publisher and chief executive officer. Since launching GPA, Miceli has written for numerous newspapers, magazines and websites. He started GolfWire in 2000, selling it nine years later to Turnstile Publishing Co.

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