J.J. Spaun recalls Tiger Woods’ hole out, just before Spaun does the same
Tiger Woods’ highlight reel is extensive, but every exciting moment he produces is a memory to someone. After all, he’s Tiger Woods.
J.J. Spaun was thinking about Woods on Day 1 of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. Specifically, Spaun was thinking about when Woods holed out from the 13th fairway in his victory over Patrick Cantlay on Day 3 of the ’19 Match Play (see below).
The par-4 13th at Austin Country Club played at 309 yards on Wednesday and Spaun knew he didn’t have the firepower to drive the green – not with the fighting wind and water down the left side. So, leading Matt Fitzpatrick, 3 up, he played it safe.
“Kind of hit it up to the right and it was a little right of where I wanted to and we’re walking up and I’m like, ‘Isn’t this where Tiger hooped it from a couple years ago?’ [My caddie] was like, ‘Yeah, this is.’ So we had it in our head the entire time,” Spaun said.
Woods holed out from 83 yards; Spaun had 107. The pin was in a different location from four years ago, but Spaun’s result was the same as he spun his ball into the cup for an eagle-2.
“I could tell it was going to be pretty good, but then it got really good, and then it just disappeared and the crowd went nuts,” Spaun said. “It was just funny that the G.O.A.T. did it, that was what we were thinking, and I did it too.”
Spaun won the hole and won the match, 5 and 3. He will next face Sahith Theegala, who lost his opening match to Min Woo Lee.