Spieth faces a big gut check tomorrow. He has been playing better than anyone all year. This week, he has played better for three rounds than anyone ever has at Augusta. He should win, but what should happen, and what will happen, is to some degree in the lap of the gods. Anything can happen in this game. We know it and Jordan knows it.
A couple of times, Spieth looked a little shaky today. He admitted that he was nervous, and, if he wasn't we'd have to do a drug test on him. Imagine the pressure of carrying the lead at the Masters for three days. I was gagging for him, and I didn't have to hit a shot. But, as shaky as he might have been today, Spieth still managed to shoot 70. That's the strength of this kid's game. He somehow knows how to make a score, even when he's not firing on all cylinders.
That par save on eighteen today may be the hole we will remember if and when Jordan slips into his first green jacket. Had he not saved par, the entire complexion of tomorrow's round would have changed. Had he finished double bogey , bogey, he would have given Messrs. Mickelson and Rose reason to believe. Instead, they probably now only hope they can catch this kid.
Whether he wins tomorrow or not, Spieth has put on a heckuva show and, win or lose, he is definitely here to stay. He lost the lead at Augusta last year. He has failed to win with the lead going into the final round on four occasions, including last week. It didn't kill him, it just made him stronger. That's the mark of a champion. Not only is he not afraid to win, he isn't afraid to lose. Go get 'em, kid.
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