SAN ANTONIO: Jordan Spieth ended a slump that lasted nearly four years, closing with a 6-under 66 on Sunday to win the Valero Texas Open for his first victory since the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
Now he heads to Augusta National as one of the favorites at the Masters.
This is a monumental win for me, Spieth said. Its been a long road. There were a lot of times that I didnt know I would be here.
Spieth sealed it with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, and he won by two shots over Charley Hoffman.
Spieth went 82 starts on the PGA Tour without a victory since Royal Birkdale. He missed the Tour Championship the past two years and nearly fell out of the top 100 in the world at the start of this year.
But the 27-year-old from Dallas showed signs of turning it around. He was tied for the 54-hole lead in Phoenix. He led by two going into the final round at Pebble Beach. He was two behind going into the last day at Bay Hill.
Tied for the lead with Matt Wallace going into Sunday at the TPC San Antonio, Spieth moved out in front and didnt let anyone catch him. He built a three-shot lead with a birdie on the 12th hole, when Hoffman made him sweat with birdies on both par 3s to get within one shot.
Spieth won for the 12th time on the PGA Tour and moved to No. 38 in the world. It’s the first time in more than a year that he is back among the top 50.
KORN FERRY TOUR
DESTIN, Fla.: Stephan Jaeger closed with a 4-under 66 and beat David Lipsky in the playoff by making par on the first extra hole to win the Emerald Coast Classic at Sandestin on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Jaeger won for the sixth time on the Korn Ferry Tour dating to 2016. This victory moves him to No. 2 on the points list and all but assures a return to the PGA Tour next season.
He also won last year at the Albertsons Boise Open.
Lipsky, a Californian who has European Tour and Asian Tour membership, birdied the last two holes for a 67 to join Jaeger at 14-under 266 and force a playoff. But returning to the 18th, he made bogey and had to settle for a runner-up finish.
Andrew Novak, who had the 54-hole lead, took two double bogeys on the front nine. He had a chance to join the playoff until making par on the 18th to finish one shot behind. Novak closed with a 71.
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