Jordan Spieth’s Wild 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale: A Beginner’s Story

Written by Paul Hodowanic • 12 Min Read • 3D AGO (recent news)

What Is This About?

Imagine a golf tournament so crazy that a whole town in England basically froze to watch one man. This is the story of Jordan Spieth and his unforgettable win at the 2017 Open Championship, played at a golf course called Royal Birkdale.

Important Point: The Open Championship is one of golf’s four “major” tournaments. Winning it is a huge deal!

Where and When Did This Happen?

• Place: Southport, a small seaside town in northwest England.
• Course: Royal Birkdale (a famous British golf links).
• Time: A rainy summer Sunday in 2017.
• The vibe: For 22 minutes and 20 seconds, the town stood still while Spieth figured out a crazy situation on hole 13.

Who Is Jordan Spieth?

• A professional golfer often called “The Golden Child.”
• Known for wild, risky shots and great saving skills.
• Before 2017, he had a tough moment: he lost a big lead at the 2016 Masters (another major).

Important Point: Less than two years earlier, Spieth led the 2016 Masters by 5 shots, then lost it all in about an hour. That was his first big scar.

The Setup: How Spieth Got to the Crazy Moment

Here is what happened before the madness:

1. Thursday (Round 1): Spieth shot a clean 65 (no bogeys) and shared the lead.
2. Friday (Round 2): Bad weather, but he shot 69 and led by 2.
3. Saturday (Round 3): Another 65, leading by 3 total.
4. Sunday morning: Matt Kuchar was 3 shots behind; no one else within 5.

Then Sunday’s final round started, and things went wobbly.

The Rough Start on Sunday

• Waiting to play last on major Sunday is super stressful.
• The first hole at Royal Birkdale is hard: out-of-bounds on the right, wind blowing left to right.
• Spieth’s ball curved left, bounced off a hump, and landed in tall grass (fescue). Bogey.
• He three-putted (used 3 putts) on holes 3 and 4. More bogeys.
• After 3 great days, his lead was gone. He was tied with Kuchar by hole 13.

Important Point: Spieth said he felt pressure because people might compare him again to the 2016 Masters collapse.

The 13th Hole: 22 Minutes of Pure Chaos

This is “The Moment.” Here is what went down step by step:

1. The drive: Spieth hit the ball far right—so far that officials didn’t even think it could go out of bounds.
2. Lost ball mystery: Fans thought it landed in grass near the fairway. It actually hit a spectator in the head and bounced behind sand dunes.
3. Unplayable spot: The ball sat on a steep bank, 100 yards right of the fairway.
4. Options?
   • Re-tee (hit again from start): likely double bogey.
   • Drop near ball: stuck in thick stuff.
   • Drop on the driving range behind him? Maybe!
5. Rules surprise: The range was in bounds by mistake (nobody thought anyone could hit that far). Spieth dropped there, took 1 penalty stroke, and got free relief from equipment trucks.
6. The show: Spieth climbed dunes, talked fast with officials, while Kuchar waited. Rory McIlroy made eagle ahead; Brooks Koepka faded.
7. The save: Caddie Michael Greller said it was 230 yards (not 270). Spieth hit a 3-iron, nearly to green, and bogey saved. Felt like momentum!

Important Point: This wild 13th-hole escape is now legendary. Spieth turned disaster into a small win.

How He Won the Tournament

After the 13th, Spieth turned it on:

• Hole 14 (par 3): Near-ace with 6-iron → birdie, tied with Kuchar.
• Hole 15 (par 5): 50-foot eagle putt! He said to caddie, “Go get that.” BBC announcer: “Almost beyond belief.”
• Holes 16 & 17: Long birdie putts (over 20 feet). Kuchar played last 5 holes in 1-under; Spieth in 5-under.
• Result: Won by 3 strokes—the same lead he started the day with. His 3rd major, 1st Open.

Important Point: Spieth called it “as much of a high as I’ve ever experienced in my golfing life.”

Remembering Spieth Today

• Now age 32, he shows flashes but not as often.
• He had a wrist injury for ~10 years, had surgery in late 2025, says he’s healthy.
• 2026 struggle: no top-10 finish; one part of game fails each week.
• Since 2017 Open: only 2 wins, not top 15 in world ranking.

Important Point: The 2017 Open was his peak. Can he star again? Maybe—crazier things happened at Royal Birkdale.

Summary

Jordan Spieth’s 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale was a rollercoaster: he lost his lead, survived a 22-minute rules adventure on hole 13, then won with eagle and birdies. It remains one of golf’s most amazing comebacks and a symbol of his career high.

FAQ

Q: What is a bogey?
A: A bogey means you finished a hole one stroke worse than the expected number (par). It’s like missing the goal by one.

Q: What is a major championship?
A: Golf has four super-important yearly tournaments. The Open is one. Winning makes you a legend.

Q: Why was the driving range drop allowed?
A: Officials never made the range “out of bounds” because they didn’t think anyone could hit there. By rule, Spieth could drop in line with the hole.

Q: Who is Matt Kuchar?
A: The player who was behind Spieth and played steady, but Spieth’s finish was too hot to catch.

Q: Will Spieth be that good again?
A: He says he’s healthy and focused on 5 years. Fans hope another magic Sunday comes.