Jordan Spieth groans in agony and forced to pull out of Travelers Championship with injury
JORDAN SPIETH let out an ear-piercing groan as his Travelers Championship hopes ended with an agonising injury at the 13th hole.
The three-time Major winner withdrew from the £15million tournament on day one amid what he called “weird circumstances”.
The ex-World No1 revealed his back had earlier locked up.
The 31-year-old did all he could to battle on, having never pulled out of a tournament before.
But after struggling to five-over after 12 holes, he accompanied his 13th tee shot with a cry of pain that meant enough was enough.
So the Ryder Cup star had to exit early from the final Signature Event of the season at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Spieth understandably hitched a ride on a buggy to depart the scene.
Earlier in the round he was spotted using a muscle massager on his upper back.
But he explained his body had started to lock up even before that – during a warm-up on the ranges.
Spieth was still keen to give the tournament a go as it’s a no-cut event with extra FedExCup points at stake.
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And he said after his unfortunate early ending: “Everything was great in my gym session, and I’ve been very, very excited to go out and play.
“Things have been getting better and better, and then my right scap [scapula on the back] just kind of locked — like tightened midway through the warm-up.”
Spieth said the problem moved up “all of a sudden” – then went all across his back.
He ended his practice 30 minute early for treatment from a physio before starting the opening round.
Spieth explained his loud near-grunt of anguish by saying his 13th tee shot “legitimately really hurt”.
It meant he was “not going to be able to make a backswing that’s even useful, and that’s what happened on the [earlier] bunker shot”.
The Texan has just returned from wrist surgery but insisted his new injury was a surprise.
Spieth began the event at 37th in the season’s rankings – knowing that the top 70 in early August go into the FedExCup Playoffs and the top 50 make next year’s Signature Events.
He described his unexpected setback as “incredibly frustrating” as he entered the Travelers Championship “very confident”.
Spieth added: “Everything I had done in practice and the pro-am showed me it’s going to be a really good event.
“It’s just a very weird circumstance. It’s disappointing, we’re having a baby here in a couple weeks, so I’ll have some time off now, obviously, to get healthy.
“But hopefully, after a few days, I go through the right process to just get right back to where I was.”