Jordan Spieth Surges Into Contention at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Jordan Spieth turned a frustrating week into momentum Thursday, firing a bogey-free 66 at Spyglass Hill to move into contention at the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The round featured a holed 116-yard wedge for eagle and a string of clutch saves that left Spieth encouraged about the state of his game.
A bogey-free bounceback at Spyglass Hill
Spieth’s opening round was the kind of score that reminded fans why he remains dangerous even when recent results haven’t reflected his talent. He hit only eight fairways and 11 greens, yet managed to avoid a single bogey. The highlight came when he holed out from 116 yards for eagle to make the turn in 5-under, and later produced a 177-yard approach to 8 feet on No. 13 to set up another birdie.
When wind and a wavering swing crept in on the back nine, Spieth still found ways to escape trouble — notably on the par-3 fifth, where a poor tee shot was followed by a recovery to inside five feet and a par-saving putt. He finished 6-under for the round, four shots behind the early leader who shot 10-under at the adjacent Pebble Beach course. The result is a sharp contrast to the previous week, when Spieth failed to make the cut after playing his last eight holes in 4-over at TPC Scottsdale.
Mind over mechanics: the reset that matters
Spieth has been clear that his physical limitations are largely in the past. More than a year removed from wrist surgery, he’s traced the recent uneven stretch back to mental rather than physical issues. He described the poor showing in Phoenix as a “fluke” and said he fell into a negative headspace despite swinging the ball well.
What followed at Pebble Beach was deliberate: Spieth flew into the area the weekend before his round, played a practice loop that included both Pebble Beach and Cypress Point with his brother, then spent Monday tightening swing fundamentals. Weather limited on-course work on Tuesday and Wednesday, but by his Thursday morning tee time (ET) he felt mentally reset. The combination of targeted practice and a confidence-rebuilding day around the coastlines seemed to pay immediate dividends.
Outlook: can he replicate it for four rounds?
One round has reignited belief, but the bigger question is consistency. Spieth has shown over his career an ability to post low scores even when various elements drift, yet translating a single strong round into a four-day challenge is the test. He acknowledged that while ball-striking wasn’t pristine — and he’d like to tighten approaches around the tight Spyglass lines — the round was a tidy example of course management and resilience under gusty conditions.
For a player with three major championships and a track record of running to the top on days when everything clicks, Thursday’s performance serves as a reminder of what he can do when the mental and physical pieces align. Through the rest of the week, all eyes will be on whether Spieth can string rounds together and turn a strong start into a genuine run at the title.
