Jordan Spieth has several reasons to participate in this week’s tournament in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. One of the main factors is the surprisingly cold weather in Dallas, where Spieth grew tired of practicing in such conditions. Additionally, he feels the need to play more competitive golf to prepare for the upcoming Masters, as well as to make up lost ground after dropping out of the top 50 in the world rankings.
For the first time since his junior golf days in 2009, Spieth has added the start of the PGA Tour’s Florida swing at PGA National to his schedule. He made a last-minute decision to enter the Cognizant Classic, marking his first time playing the course as a professional.
“I haven’t played much and I’m not entirely certain about my future schedule,” Spieth commented as he geared up for what will be his fourth event since returning from wrist surgery. “This year’s plan is somewhat up in the air for me as I try to regain stability. I need to catch up and I dislike finishing outside the top 50 with the new system,” he continued.
Spieth is confirmed to compete in The Players Championship and at Augusta National in the coming weeks. However, the rest of his schedule remains somewhat uncertain, prompting him to add more rounds to his roster. This uncertainty is why he opted for PGA National as his next tournament.
“Driving the ball with precision is crucial, and playing golf courses with wind and Bermuda grass reflects the conditions I grew up with,” Spieth said.
His wrist issues started in May 2023, with the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon becoming problematic. Spieth underwent surgery to reconstruct the sheath on August 21 in Colorado, taking ample time for recovery—nearly 12 weeks before he resumed hitting balls, and another month before playing his first round.
The injury was unusual, initially leading Spieth to ice and tape his wrist after learning that surgery might not be needed. The tendon dislocated unpredictably, similar to a noncontact sports injury. Spieth described how he managed to reposition the sheath by squeezing his wrist back into place.
Reflecting on his recovery, Spieth said, “I wish I had addressed it earlier.” He tied for 69th at Pebble Beach during his first tournament back, secured a tie for fourth place at Phoenix the following week, and missed the cut at Genesis.
The three-week run was a success, showing improvement in his game while testing his wrist’s resilience. “I’ve had experiences that assure me everything is improving,” Spieth explained. “I’m searching for the right balance between rest and competition. I took six days off last week, and when I returned, my wrist felt worse the first day at 25 degrees, hitting off a mat.”
Spieth entered the Cognizant Classic at the last moment—on Friday when the field was fixed—adding another renowned name to the event. While the tournament appears thin on top-tier talent, with none of the top 16 players participating, it still features five of the top 22, including Russell Henley, Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Billy Horschel, and Sungjae Im. These past winners of the event, once known as the Honda Classic, have returned to compete this week, alongside Spieth—a significant player now ranked No. 70 globally.
“As we focus toward the Masters, my aim is to tackle challenging golf courses and compete for titles,” Spieth stated. “This process will help me identify areas for improvement leading up to Augusta.”
