PGA Championship: Jordan Spieth sings a happy tune about his wrist, but then dodges health questions

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – “How are you feeling, Jordan?” a spectator shouted with genuine concern to Jordan Spieth from behind the rope lining the right side of the 13^th fairway at Oak Hill on Tuesday as Jordan Spieth sauntered to his ball.

“I feel good,” Spieth said imitating the deep baritone of James Brown.

But does Spieth, who withdrew from last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson, his hometown event, citing a left wrist injury, really feel so good, as the soul singer Brown would say? That we don’t know because when a reporter asked to speak to him about his injury, he declined and said, “But thanks for your concern.”

Spieth, ranked No. 10 in the world, is bidding to complete the career Grand Slam this week by winning the PGA Championship. It marks his seventh attempt since winning the 2017 British Open for his third major title. After overcoming a slump during which he went nearly four years without a win until claiming the Valero Texas Open in 2021, Spieth has made impressive progress to return to a dependable representative for Team U.S.A. in international competition and a threat for more major glory. The 29-year-old Texan has five top-10 finishes this season, including a T-4 at the Masters, and was a lip-out away in a playoff with Matt Fitzpatrick from defending his title at the RBC Heritage in April and recording his 14^th career Tour title.

Last Monday, Spieth posted on social media that he was pulling out of the AT&T Byron Nelson noting “severe pain in my left wrist” and that it required “rest and limited movement.”

On Tuesday afternoon, he wore white tape around his left wrist and black kinesiology tape on the back of his left arm that stretched to his elbow. He played nine holes alongside caddie Michael Greller, who flew in on Monday, and coach Cameron McCormick. Spieth neither winced, shook his arm as if suffering pain, nor shied away from hitting any shot. When he drove into the left rough, he hit an iron from Oak Hill’s thick stuff.

He hit numerous pitch shots, bunker shots and putts to a tee or makeshift plastic hole placed on various spots on the green where the actual hole locations could be this week. He ripped one drive at 14 and invested most of his time pitching to the elevated green. At the par-3 15, he planted an 8-iron 15 feet from the hole and his birdie putt circled the cup. Spieth played nine holes, but to be sure of his status we will have to wait until he tees off Thursday with Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry in his attempt to join just five golfers who have completed the career Grand Slam.

How will Spieth’s injured wrist affect him? ESPN analyst and two-time major champion Andy North said playing in wet, long rough could be a problem for Spieth.

“If you put it in the rough enough times and have to chop it out, it’s going to definitely affect that,” North said during a media conference call ahead of the 105^th PGA Championship. “Is it a concern? Obviously. For him to skip (AT&T Byron Nelson), it’s a very important tournament to him. But if it’s a matter of hey, I just need three or four days off, give this thing a little rest, then he’ll be fine. I hope that’s the case and he’s going to be able to come in there and be able to play well.”

Jordan Spieth plays from the rough at the 13th hole at Oak Hill during a practice round on May 16, 2023, ahead of the 105th PGA Championship. (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)

ESPN analyst and World Golf Hall of Fame member Curtis Strange added that skipping an event that is so meaningful to Spieth, who is an AT&T ambassador and got his start at the Dallas Tour stop as a 16-year-old amateur, “speaks a lot to that there’s something wrong. He’s doing what he has to do,” Strange said. “I’ve never had a wrist injury. I can’t imagine trying to play golf with a wrist injury.”