Jordan Spieth didn’t exactly light up Augusta National on Sunday. His closing round of 4-under 68 included holing a bunker shot from behind the par-5 13th green for eagle, and making a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
By the end of the round, that led to a tie for 12th. It was his best finish in a major in three years, dating to a tie for fourth in the 2023 Masters. And it came at a good time.
Spieth ended last year at No. 80 in the world and has been hovering outside the the top 60 for the last month. Now he hits an important stretch concluding with the PGA Championship, after which the top 60 are exempt into the U.S. Open.
Spieth’s 10-year exemption from winning at Chambers Bay ran out last year. He is not yet exempt into the U.S. Open, and while past champions typically get at least one special exemption, age 32 is awfully young to be asking for one.
He is playing at the RBC Heritage this week. Still to come are a pair of signature events before the PGA Championship at Aronimink outside Philadelphia. That tie for 12th at the Masters moves him up from No. 61 to No. 52. It can be more difficult to move up than to move down in that area of the rankings.
Adam Scott also helped himself with a 70-70 weekend to tie for 24th, only moving two spots, but the Australian is now at No. 51. The U.S. Open is the only major for which Scott is not currently eligible, and getting to Shinnecock Hills would make it 100 consecutive majors for Scott.
Would he be in line for a special exemption if he needed to ask for one?
The USGA has a history of special exemptions for those who never won a U.S. Open, such as Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price and Phil Mickelson. Mickelson didn’t need one in 2021 after winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, but it counts as him accepting one.