Jordan Spieth and field are too much for Harold Varner III’s historic run at Colonial
Cheering in the press box is an agreed media sin, but considering the rarity that is the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge an exception should be granted.
The dozen or so members of the media fortunate enough to be here at Colonial Country Club should just agree to ignore this rule and provide some ambiance to a golf tournament that is played effectively in silence.
Between ourselves, and the volunteers here to handle various responsibilities, we can generate a decent cheer for whomever wins the plaid jacket on Sunday. This is all so weird, it’s not going to kill anyone if we provide a golf clap or two.
I have said this many times this week: I wish Dan Jenkins was here to see all of this, and put this into some perspective for us.
The leaderboard is stuffed with quality PGA Tour names that merits something more than a muffled cough. You have a better chance of accurately projecting the weather in Texas on a mid-April afternoon than nailing the winner here.
Here is one guess who won’t win it, much to my disappointment: Harold Varner III.
It would be a wonderful narrative if he became the first Black winner in the history of the tournament, especially considering the racial growing pains the United States is current experiencing.
However, watching him play with Jordan Spieth on Saturday and the strength of the field is going to prevent Varner III from winning this fan-less tournament.
“I think as the week has gone on it’s felt weirder in my opinion. Going in, I thought that Monday to Friday would be somewhat normal and then Saturday and Sunday would be a bit odd,” Spieth said. “Today definitely felt a lot different for it being a Saturday afternoon in the last group, when you kind of think about the situation you’re in, you just don’t feel like you’re actually out there doing that.
“I just felt like I was playing a normal round with Harold, certainly knowing where I was at. You know, I like to feed off the crowds, and you certainly hope we can have them back, especially this week.”
Varner III started Day 3 sitting atop the leaderboard and in the final pairing with Spieth, but the birdies didn’t follow.
He birdied No. 1, and that was it. He pared every other hole, but No. 14 where he bogeyed.
This tournament is not going to be won with pars. Varner III narrowly missed birdie putts at 16, 17 and 18.
He never showed any emotion, or any signs of frustration. The putts just weren’t there.
“I just want to have a chance with nine holes to go, and right now we have a chance with 18,” Varner III said after his round.
Meanwhile, all of those household names that make this field so attractive just kept coming. And whatever happened to Spieth that knocked him down the list among the game’s greats he seems to have forgotten.
The Spieth who played Saturday is the Spieth who made us all think he was Tiger 2.0.
Spieth drained a 40-foot putt at No. 8 for a birdie. On No. 9, he managed to hit out of the rough behind a tree to set up another birdie.
After a second shot at 17 landed in a terrible lie in the sand trap, he somehow saved par.
Spieth is one of five players tied for second at minus-12.
Your leader, at minus-13, is Xander Schauffele, the 12th-ranked player in the world.
Lurking not far behind is the top-ranked player in the world, Rory McIlroy, who is three off the lead.
Even though no one is here other than us “essentials,” we are witnessing a brilliant golf tournament featuring some of the best players in the world. This is not a major, but it’s close.
From a story standpoint, it would be wonderful theater if somehow Varner III, who’s tied for seventh at two shots back, can make a push late on Sunday to a historic win.
But the field is just too good to plan for it.
Either way, all of these guys deserve a golf clap from those of us who are here.
