AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jordan Spieth made 21 birdies at this year’s Masters, including nine on Sunday while trying to keep pace with partner Phil Mickelson.
And it still wasn’t enough to win — or even best the 52-year-old Mickelson.
Spieth finished the Masters tied for fourth place at 7 under, five shots behind winner Jon Rahm.
But Mickelson also tallied 21 birdies, making eight in the final round, including five in the last seven holes to finish at 8 under and surge past Spieth.
“I was trying to honestly just match Phil shot for shot coming in,” Spieth said of the final round at Augusta National.
Jordan Spieth made 9 birdies in the final round.
That ties the most by birdies by any player in any final round at #TheMasters
He shares that record with himself (2018), David Toms (1998), and Gary Player (1978). pic.twitter.com/pyBkMV03sD
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 9, 2023
The 29-year-old Spieth said he made too many mental mistakes all week, saying “mental fatigue” led to 10 bogeys and two double bogeys.
“I played way too much golf coming into this,” Spieth said. “I mean, this is eight out of ten weeks (playing golf). So I need to change my schedule up going forward to be a little sharper during (Masters) week.”
The 2015 Masters champion said he got “lazy” picking targets on some holes.
“I probably only had a target 50% of the shots this week, and I like to have them 100% of the time,” Spieth said. “I kind of was trying to remind myself, but there was a few swings Thursday and Friday where I could have really left a few out there.”
