Like the great ones, Jordan Spieth can win without his best stuff.
The 22-year-old Texan, who has greatness written all over him, struggled with his ball-striking all week but birdied the last three holes to shoot a second straight 5-under-par 65 and claim a three-stroke victory over Harris English in the Dean & DeLuca Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Spieth, three tournaments after he blew a five-stroke lead on the back nine of the final round in his title defense at the Masters, started with nine consecutive pars, birdied the first three holes on the back nine and wrote his fantastic finish after making his only bogey on the 13th hole.
“That was quite a hump to get over coming off Augusta, to get that off my back in the third tournament back,” said Spieth, who captured his eighth PGA Tour victory, second this year and first in the Lone Star State about 30 miles from his home in Dallas.
“And to win before the home fans, what a great week. … It’s really a good feeling. No matter what happens in the next 30 years of my career, this will be one of the most important days that I’ve ever had.”
The second-ranked Spieth was tied for the lead with English before sinking a 20-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole, holing a 43-foot chip from behind the 17th green and capping the run with a 34-foot birdie putt.
English, seeking his third PGA Tour victory, holed his third shot for an eagle on the first hole to jump-start a 66, while Webb Simpson and Ryan Palmer closed with 68s to tie for third, four shots back.
Kyle Reifers was another shot behind in solo fifth after another 68, while Matt Kuchar and Anirban Lahiri of India also carded 68s to wind up nine strokes back in a tie for sixth with Jason Dufner, who totaled 70, and Martin Piller, who had a 71.
Chad Campbell had eight birdies and a lone bogey on the final hole to shoot 63, equaling Kuchar’s third-round score for best of the week, and was 10 shots down in a tie for 10th with Kevin Kisner, who wound up at 66, and first-round leader Bryce Molder, who came in a 69.
Defending champion Chris Kirk, who beat Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Jason Bohn by one stroke last year, played the weekend in 65-69 to tie for 15th.
