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MICHAEL GRELLER, CADDIE to Jordan Spieth, proved once again why he is such a vital part of the young player’s game at Augusta National on Sunday.
Chasing Patrick Reed on the leaderboard at the Masters, Spieth found himself in the pine needles after his drive on the par-five 13th.
“It’s a four iron, right? Soft four iron?” Spieth initially asked. “I could hit hybrid as well, play a fade. What’s the wind doing?”
“East-Northeast is off your right,” Greller responded, as the duo mulled over the decision. “I like the hybrid more than that.”
“How do you feel?” Spieth asked.
“I see it fits the shape of the hole better, and it gives you more margin or room, you know?” the caddie answered. “A four iron is perfect if it’s good, but if it gets right at all…”
“I still like this,” Spieth said with the hybrid in hand. “If it ends up going long left, it’s not bad, you know?”
“No, I agree,” said Greller.
His final word of advice: “Get your target.”
The aggressive move immediately drew a reaction from the crowd, and with good reason — Spieth would land his shot unbelievably close to the pin to set himself up for an eagle putt.
You can listen in on Spieth and Greller’s conversation, and watch the impressive shot below.
It’s not the first time that Greller — who has made an estimated $5 million since quitting his job as a maths teacher in 2012 to carry his bag full time — has helped his player at a crucial moment in a tournament.
At the Open Championship in 2017 when Spieth’s drive went way off course, and he was forced to take relief in the driving range, Greller gave what legendary caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay would call arguably “the most critical yardage ever given to a player in the history of golf.”
Greller estimated two distances for Spieth and helped him aim his shot, which Spieth hit amazingly to save a bogey on the hole and win the tournament. Bones claimed it was “one of the most amazing things a caddie has ever done.”
While Spieth wouldn’t sink the eagle putt — or reel in Reed — the brilliant shot set him up for an easy birdie en route to a sensational Sunday 64 and an unlikely third-place finish.
– Tyler Lauletta, Business Insider
– Updated 13.35: An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed the quote “Could hit hybrid as well, play a fade” to Michael Greller instead of Jordan Spieth.
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