PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) — Jordan Spieth celebrated a big birthday with friends in Las Vegas, had a two-week stretch at Firestone and the PGA Championship, and then headed home to Texas to take advantage of the biggest perk to turning 21.
He finally played Preston Trail.
The private club in Dallas is strict about its rules, and one of them is that a player has to be at least 21. Never mind that Spieth contended at the Bryon Nelson Championship while still in high school. Or that he became the youngest American to ever compete in the Presidents Cup. Or that he reached No. 7 in the world when he was 20.
"I must have played Bent Tree about 50 times and I always looked over at Preston Trail knowing I couldn't go over there," Spieth said. "When I was playing in college, or even last year as a professional, I'd get home and a couple of buddies would say, 'Yeah, we're going over to Preston Trail.'"
He was invited to play by Malcolm Holland, a Preston Trail member and prominent USGA official. Spieth said the superintendent prepared for their visit by rolling the greens twice and finding some of the toughest pin positions. He played with former U.S. Amateur champion Colt Knost and Carlos Ortiz, who tops the Web.com Tour money list.
It was everything Spieth thought it would be.
"Like a tour event without the rough," he said. "We played 16 holes when the storms rolled in. I was at 6 under with a putt to go to 7. I was up a bunch of money and it washed all the bets. So I still haven't played 17 or 18. I told them the fact we didn't finish means we get another round."