Jordan Spieth makes admission about controversial Rory McIlroy incident at Players Championship

Jordan Spieth makes admission about controversial Rory McIlroy incident at Players Championship

Watch now: Rory McIlroy speaks at the Players

Stuart Ballard

By Stuart Ballard


Published: 16/03/2024

- 19:48

Jordan Spieth was at the centre of the debate with Rory McIlroy on the opening day of the Players Championship.

Jordan Spieth has admitted that he "maybe shouldn't have" got involved in the debate over Rory McIlroy's controversial drop in the opening round of the Players Championship.

A blind spot on the course led to some confusion on the seventh hole after McIlroy's tee shot bounced into the water.


The four-time major champion felt confident he was going to drop in the right location, but his playing partners Spieth and Viktor Hovland weren't so sure.

Hovland was heard saying he felt the ball bounced in a lot further back than where they were standing while Spieth raised questions as to whether it had bounced outside of the boundary line.

Jordan Spieth avoided the media after Thursday's round

Jordan Spieth avoided the media after Thursday's round

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After a lengthy discussion, it was eventually decided for McIlroy to play from where he had originally dropped from with Spieth and Hovland eventually relenting.

McIlroy's playing partners avoided the media after the first round with Spieth finally breaking his silence on the whole situation on Friday after he missed the cut.

The American gave his side of the story and explained why he interjected in the first place.

"I thought it ended up in a good spot," Spieth said.

"I only walked over there because I thought he had dropped it, and then he was questioning where he was dropping it.

"So I was just trying to make sure he didn't play it and everyone was good. I was good with the spot he was choosing.

"Then I was just listening to the conversation of Rory and Viktor, and Rory had said, 'I think it's -- we think it crossed up there, could have been back there, so this seems like somewhere in between'.

"But then that sounds like something you probably should verify with a rules official, and then he did, and it was all good."

He added: "The thing is you're not really supposed to use anyone from the outside to say it.

Jordan Spieth admitted he maybe shouldn't have got involved

Jordan Spieth admitted he maybe shouldn't have got involved

PGATOUR

"But I was hearing from like TV members, so I thought it was -- I told him when we walked off the tee that they had said that, and I said, I couldn't tell because I thought it was going to land so much further that it surprised me where it dropped, so I didn't actually see and it was close.

"So I thought it was important to say that honestly so that he didn't -- they said it certainly hit above, Rory and Harry.

"Because of that, I was like, why don't you just make sure in case they caught it.

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Rory McIlroy ended up playing from where he first dropped

Rory McIlroy ended up playing from where he first dropped

PGATOUR

"A lot of times you have an overhead, but maybe not on Thursday and Friday.

"But I get it's me and Rory, but that kind of conversation probably happened a dozen times yesterday in groups.

"Again, it was like Viktor was having the conversation, and I only walked over because it seemed like, hey, let's just make sure everything is all right, which I wasn't even planning on getting involved and maybe shouldn't have, but it seemed like they were maybe at a sticking point. So I thought maybe I could help."

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