Masters Meltdown

What you can learn from Jordan Spieth’s epic 12th-hole collapse.

- Michael Chwasky

On Masters Sunday last year, Jordan Spieth reached the par-3 12th hole—named “Golden Bell”— with a one-shot lead over Danny Willett. The young Texan left with his bell rung, dunking two balls into Rae’s Creek en route to a quadruple-bogey 7. In just a few calamitous minutes, the 2015 champion had gone from a cake walk to the walking dead. Other than reminding us how fast fortunes can change at Amen Corner, what can everyday players take away from this shocking debacle?

Give Up Your “Rights”

On the 12th tee, Spieth and his caddie, Michael Greller, decided to play safe and hit a draw to the fat of the green, rather than go after the tantalizing right-cut pin; this would take the water and the front bunkers out of play. But once over the ball, Spieth got greedy and tried to fade it toward the pin. His shot flew short and right, landed on the front bank and rolled into the drink.

Spieth’s trouble actually began long before he got to 12, says Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs. The Masters champ had struggled all year with flared iron shots.