Zach Johnson Says He Didn't Tell Jordan Spieth What Club to Hit at Ryder Cup

On the drivable par-4 16th, Spieth was going to hit driver before a discussion with the captain. His 3-wood shot found the water.

ROME — Was U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson clubbing three-time major winner Jordan Spieth in a pivotal part of his Saturday afternoon match?

It happened on the drivable par-4 16th hole, which has been both a pivotal and exciting in the first two days of the Ryder Cup, with water right and bunkers short and long.

It's not an easy green to hit from the tee, and while driver is the club of choice for many, big hitters like Rory McIlroy have used 3-wood at times.

In the Saturday afternoon four-balls, Spieth and Justin Thomas came to the 16th 3 down to Europe’s Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose.

U.S. captain Zach Johnson (left) and Jordan Spieth had a discussion on what to hit on the tee at the 16th hole Saturday.  :: Zac Goodwin/Getty Images

The U.S. needed at least a birdie to keep the match alive, but eagle was the plan.

Thomas hit first and found the rough left and behind the green. While not impossible, it was difficult to get close from there and an unlikely hole-out for eagle.

As Spieth was pulling the head cover off his driver, Johnson came to him and a conversation ensued between the two, along with others on the U.S. team.

“I was just gonna hit driver at the pin, and then we were told that anybody that was left couldn't chip it close, so try to hit it short of the green,“ Spieth said. “And so then I'm trying to hit 3-wood and hammer it and I hit off the heel, it actually wasn’t a bad shot.”

Spieth found the water right but was his shot was online with the pin—which if he were hitting driver would have found the green. Instead he headed for the drop zone and hit his third shot to within 5 feet for a par save.

With the left bunker impossible to reach, Spieth hoped to hit his 3-wood in front of the green, giving himself a chip shot up the green to the flag. In his match in the morning session, he executed the shot.

“I did it earlier today kind of in the neck,” Spieth told Sports Illustrated. ”I could chip it close; I just missed it.”

Hunter Mahan on world feed going all in on wondering why Spieth hit 3-wood instead of driver on 16 -- with input from Zach -- and then hitting in the water. "I'm not sure I made myself clear how dumfounded I am by that decision.. . I just have no idea what was going on there.''

— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) September 30, 2023

Spieth confirmed he had never been clubbed before by his captain; when asked on the broadcast after the match, Johnson said he didn't tell Spieth to switch clubs.

"I'm not telling Jordan Spieth what club to hit. You come up with phrases to build some confidence," Johnson said.

Ultimately, Thomas made his birdie but so did Rose. The Europeans won the match 3 and 2 with the U.S. losing a pivotal point that could have reduced its deficit to three points instead of a likely insurmountable five going into Sunday singles.