Jordan Spieth first saluted.
Then he wrist-slapped.
Then he fist-bumped.
And you, laughing, may have doubled-over.
“You gotta love that exchange,” analyst Billy Kratzert said Thursday on PGA Tour Live.
Got to. The year is but a few days old, but we already have a Spieth moment for 2023. But no, this did not feature a spectacular hole-out, though the engaging superstar also did that Thursday during the Tournament of Champions first round. And no, this did not involve a missed 2-footer, though he did that, too, at the Plantation Course at Kapalua.
But this was maybe better. And included two bettors. (Sorry.)
The sequence came on the 432-yard, par-4 12th, where Spieth had been murmuring to himself after pitching about 20 yards short on a relatively simple 90-yard second shot. On the birdie putt, Spieth came up short again, about 2 feet. He marked, playing partner Tom Kim then two-putted for par, and Spieth placed his ball back down. He then walked behind his ball for a look. Then looked back.
“Guys, please,” he said.
Hmm. Chatter at events is constant, but crowds are thinner in Hawaii, so it’s more than a buzz at the TOC. Still, you couldn’t hear the conversation on the PGA Tour Live broadcast, and Spieth cleaned up for par.
Then, fantastically, mics picked up all of the following exchange, after Spieth picked up his ball from the hole and walked over to two fans standing behind the green.
“I appreciate the exchange of money. I would be doing the same thing,” Spieth began.
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“I could just hear you gambling right off the back of the green.”
It’s here we’ll note that gambling is illegal in Hawaii. But let’s continue.
“Sorry,” one of the fans said.
“All good,” Spieth said. “You’re good.”
And he fist-bumped both. After a Spieth salute and a Spieth wrist-slap.
“Oh my goodness,” announcer Ned Michaels said on the broadcast, before the action was moved away.
“Ohhhh.”
Betting website golfbet.com tweeted out a video of the sequence, and the Tour itself shared it, too. Their caption?
“Please enjoy your viewing activities respectfully.”
