Feb six, 2021

  • Josh WeinfussESPN Staff Writer

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    • Covered the Cardinals since 2012
    • Graduate of Indiana University
    • Member of Pro Football Writers of America

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Hashemite kingdom of jordan Spieth knows what information technology's like to lead a tournament later on 54 holes. It just hasn't happened for a while.

And that has Spieth expecting to be nervous Sunday when he starts the concluding round of the Waste Direction Phoenix Open up in search of his first win since The Open in 2017 at Royal Birkdale.

"I expect myself to be extremely nervous," Spieth said. "Again, I mean, I've been at that place a lot of times, only it'due south been a long time.

"So, I imagine I'll exist very uncomfortable, at to the lowest degree to commencement. I kind of like that sometimes."

Spieth didn't wait to be in this position this weekend. He made the trip in "kind of a low spot" later missing the cut a calendar week ago at the Farmers Insurance Open. He thought he was making progress at Torrey Pines only had a bad dorsum nine in the 2d circular. He then opened this consequence with consecutive 67s. His goal was another solid round. And then he went out and posted 10-under 61, tying his career-low round on the PGA Tour. Spieth didn't look at the scoreboard throughout the round and doesn't expect to Sun.

"I know I tin get the job done based on a round like [Sabbatum'southward]," said Spieth, who hasn't finished in the top 5 in an event since the 2019 PGA Championship.

For at present, though, Spieth will approach Sunday'south final round with the same goal he had when he entered Sabbatum: He wants to be 4 under for the twenty-four hour period when he stands on the 17th tee.

Beyond that, as he'southward said all week, he'due south trying to trust his game and not have whatsoever expectations.

"I built some freedom now seeing these results the first few days here to where I experience really skilful about the path I'1000 on," Spieth said. "I feel good well-nigh what the long term ahead looks like for me. And sometimes that's been in question, to myself."

Talk football game, not golf

Saturday nighttime's dinner conversation will be, well, an interesting one for Justin Thomas.

When he sits downwards with roommates Rickie Fowler and Spieth, whom Thomas trails by iv strokes, at their rented house in Scottsdale, the topic will "probably" be the Super Basin. The trio will try to stay away from golf as much every bit possible.

"Information technology'southward not going to be forced," said Thomas, who shot a bogey-free seven-under 64 on Sat. "We're very close, and we understand that over the grade of a long career we're going to take a lot of duels and battles."

This isn't new territory for Thomas. He shared a house with Fowler in 2019 when both were in the final group. Fowler won, and Thomas finished third, the same position he sits heading into the final round this year.

After ii direct third-identify finishes, Thomas said he'south "getting close to shooting a really proficient one."

He just hopes it comes Dominicus.

"I just need to go far my own little world and really just shoot as low as I can," Thomas said. "Funny thing about this place is if you don't play well, y'all struggle. It's hard to go it going. But if I play well, y'all really can -- I hateful, y'all can birdie every unmarried pigsty."

Schauffele vs. Spieth 2.0

Lord's day won't be the beginning time Xander Schauffele and Spieth play in the final grouping of a tournament with a win on the line.

They last did it in 2018 when they were in a three-style necktie, along with Kevin Kisner, heading into the last day of The Open up at Carnoustie. However, neither played well in that terminal round with Schauffele finishing tied for second and Spieth tied for 9th. That experience, Schauffele said, makes Lord's day's final-round pairing with Spieth comfortable.

"I think it'll be fun," Schauffele said. "Nosotros're both trying to practise the same thing. We both have a lot to prove. He's achieved so much in his career. I'one thousand yet trying to push forward and do kind of what he's washed in a brusk time.

"I recollect it's absurd that we'll be hashing information technology out [Lord's day]."

Schauffele has 7 runner-upward finishes since his last win at the 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions. This is his fourth career atomic number 82 or co-lead afterwards 54 holes. He didn't get a win in any of the previous times.

"This is proficient," Schauffele said. "This is what I demand as a player. I have non won a lot in my career. Got off a couple quick ones on Tour early on and kind of lost my fashion for a second in that location.

"Then, this is sort of what my team and I want, to be in contention, right at that place in the final group, and see how I tin handle it."

Stricker pulls double duty

While 53-year-quondam Steve Stricker tried to stay in contention to become the fourth player to win a PGA Tour event in four dissimilar decades -- and the oldest player to win on the PGA Bout -- he pulled double duty during his third round. As the Ryder Cup captain, he expects the guy he was playing with on Saturday, Schauffele, to be on that team.

"As I'm going around playing with Xander there and watching how practiced he is hit it and long he's hit information technology -- [he'south] bombing it -- I idea about the Ryder Cup many times out there," Stricker said. "That he'll be a good guy to have on that team. He's keen to be around.

"And and so to run into Jordan play well and seems to be moving in the right direction for him, too. A lot of positives from the guys that are playing well."

Stricker entered the third circular in second identify, a shot behind Schauffele. He lost ground Saturday with a 2-under 69. He will start Sunday v back.

"Hitting a lot of quality shots," he said. "Just didn't make the putts that I had been making the last couple days."

'This week is a lot different'

At that place might not be a lot of fans this calendar week at TPC Scottsdale, but, on Saturday, the few who were able to score tickets made their voices heard.

"All of a sudden, [on Saturday] when you kind of make it the thick of things and the oversupply was feeding off and really willing those putts in with me, it actually kind of felt like nothing had happened," Spieth said. "That was pretty neat."

As has been the example all week, about 4,500 fans were allowed in on Saturday.

"Then, this week is a lot different, but it's but nifty to see fans back," Louis Oosthuizen said. "It's great to just play in front of people once more."

Jon Rahm was able to tell when he striking a proficient shot by the reaction. Also noticeable was the absenteeism of boos.

"Nosotros miss the fans. I've missed the fans," he said. "Fifty-fifty though it's a very small pct than we usually have here, it feels similar a lot but considering we haven't seen them in a while."