However, the ball ricocheted off a fan back into the middle of the fairway.
Instead of dropping two and hitting three from the tee box on the par-five ninth, he eagled to make the cut comfortably.
Jordan Spieth walks to the ninth hole during the final round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club Aug. 28, 2022, in Atlanta. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour via Getty Images)
Spieth said after his round he was going to find the fan and thank him, and he made good on his promise.
Matt from Colorado Springs, a 23-year-old marine, received tickets for the rest of the weekend and a flag signed by Spieth, who offered an apology.
"Sorry & thanks!" he wrote.
ENGLISH GOLFER AARON RAI DRILLS SECOND HOLE-IN-ONE AT 17TH HOLE OF PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Spieth shot a 3-over 75, so it was, by no means, a great round.
TPC Sawgrass has generally not been kind to Spieth over his professional career. In his first appearance at the Players Championship in 2014, he finished tied for fourth.
From 2015 to 2021, he missed the cut five times, finishing tied for 41st in 2018 and tied for 48th in 2021. The tournament was not played in 2020.
Jordan Spieth of the U.S. plays his shot from the third tee during the second round of the Players Championship on the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass March 10, 2023, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Without much pressure on him, Spieth shot a 6-under 66 in the third round Saturday. He is 6-under for the tournament, nine shots back of leader Scottie Scheffler.