It was one of
the most extraordinary moments in the Open Championship’s recent history.
On the 13th
hole at Royal Birkdale, Jordan Spieth was tied on eight-under-par with Matt
Kuchar when he hit arguably the worst drive of his career, which landed on the
wrong side of a huge dune.
After lengthy discussions with rules officials,
Spieth took an unplayable lie and was allowed to go back as far as he wanted to
so long as it was on the same line.
He eventually placed his ball on the driving range, some 70 yards back from where his ball landed, played his approach shot which came to rest short of the green and then chipped and one-putted for bogey.
Kuchar made par
to go one shot ahead but it proved to be the catalyst for the remainder of the
Spieth’s round – he was four-over-par through 13 holes at that point – as he
closed birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, par to win by three shots.
Now, a replica of that famed Titleist 3-iron has found a permanent home at the Open Championship venue after it received a ‘special delivery’ from Spieth yesterday.
Special delivery to the club today.No ordinary 3 Iron (No visible ill effects of playing from the range!)Many Thanks @JordanSpieth#TheOpenpic.twitter.com/3QAvWCWu4J
— Royal Birkdale Golf (@royalbirkdale_) October 18, 2017