Jordan Spieth stunned by failure to escape deep Oakmont rough at U.S. Open

Spieth did a club twirl after the shot, but obviously, he couldn’t quite believe what happened. Watching Spieth play is an experience unlike any other. To be fair to the three-time major champion, he carded a bogey at hole No. 2. After a shot like that, it could have been far worse.

Jordan Spieth grinding his way through tough Oakmont conditions

Spieth, 31, is eight holes through his second round in the U.S. Open. He’s 3-over on Thursday and 3-over for the tournament. Spieth worked hard to end Round 1 even after posting five birdies and five bogeys. It’s what we’ve come to expect from Spieth, whose play hasn’t been up to par in some time.

“If you miss the fairway, it’s essentially a stroke penalty,” Spieth said after Round 1. “There’s a few places where it’s not the case, but on almost every hole it’s a stroke penalty. I was close to shooting 3-under and finished at even. I mean, you know, I think I would have signed for it three more times to put me in a good spot, but we’ll see how the course changes.

“A couple of fairways became impossible to hit today, and that won’t change tomorrow. And then if we get a little rain, maybe we’ll get a chance to score a little, but we’ll see.”

Spieth hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since the 2022 RBC Heritage. His struggles are well documented, though he came into the U.S. Open with some momentum. Spieth finished T7 in the Memorial Tournament and has three other Top 10 finishes this season.