Spieth Misses $7 Million Putt, JT Wins FedEx Cup

Jordan Spieth had an incredible 2016-17 season despite what critics and detractors may say. In 23 starts on the PGA Tour, Spieth made 20 cuts, he finished inside the top-10 12 times and won three times, including the Open Championship, racking up just shy of $9.5 million in on-the-course earnings. Not bad at all. 

However, on Sunday at the Tour Championship, all that work came down to one 15-foot putt on the 72nd hole to see if he could stake his claim to the $10 million bonus that comes with winning the FedEx Cup. 

With the putt sliding just by on the right side, Spieth’s year-end bonus dropped $7 million from $10 million to $3 million, allowing Justin Thomas, the odds-on favorite to be Player of the Year on the PGA Tour to win the FedEx Cup. 

Despite Thomas wrapping up the FedEx Cup before finishing his round, there was still the small matter of the Tour Championship to be decided. A day that began with Paul Casey holding a two-stroke lead over Kevin Kisner turned into a two-man race by the back nine between Thomas and Xander Schauffele. 

Thomas made back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to reach 11-under par, a mark Schauffele playing in the group behind him reached with his birdie on the par-4 13th hole. Thomas had a chance to force Schauffele’s hand by making a birdie on the par-5 18th hole, but his birdie putt fell just low of the hole, opening the door for Schauffele.

The PGA Tour rookie hit the best drive of the day on the short par-5, leaving himself only a 6-iron into the green. Coming up just short, he lagged his first putt from the fringe up to what would normally be considered tap-in range. However, with the Tour Championship and a FedEx Cup bonus on the line, nothing is a gimme. 

Thomas finished solo second while Kevin Kisner and Russell Henley tied for fourth. 54-hole leader Paul Casey finished in solo fifth place.

Here are the final-round highlights courtesy of the PGA Tour.

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