RBC Heritage: Jordan Spieth sees wrist tendon pop out

Jordan Spieth almost walked off the golf course after hitting a bunker shot on Harbour Town’s 13th hole during the first round of the RBC Heritage. His follow-through slammed into the bulkhead of the trap, leading a tendon in his wrist to pop out, per Paul Hodowanic of the PGA Tour.

“It’s a thing that’s recurring,” Spieth said Friday at the RBC Heritage. “I was lucky because most times it comes out, and I can’t turn it, and so I would have been screwed. It’s the [extensor carpi ulnaris] tendon. It came out and came right back in its groove.” The three-time major champion then made an eye-popping admission.

“On 14 [on Thursday], I thought I was done for the week,” Spieth said. “Then it came back in, and I was like, ‘alright, I’m good.’” Spieth originally injured his wrist at the Wells Fargo Championship in May 2023. He then skipped out on the AT&T Byron Nelson and battled through the injury at Oak Hill during the PGA Championship. Fast forward five months, and Spieth re-aggravated his injury after the Ryder Cup.

“I was very shocked when I reinjured it,” Spieth said at the Hero World Challenge about his setback in October. “I was reaching for a toaster to make my son breakfast, and I was just supporting it on the shelf. It just made no sense because I’m like, ‘What’s going to prevent this from happening at any other point in time?’ And now I’m [going to be] out two-plus weeks, so I feel good about that not being the case going forward.”

But his beleaguered wrist has continued to bother him. Then, on Thursday, Spieth’s third shot on the 13th hole happened. “Because my [wrist] sheath is torn, it doesn’t really hold it in as well,” Spieth said. “It’s one of those things. It’s not affecting [my] speed or anything like that. I just [have to] manage it. So today, it was just that the tape, the way it’s on, is going to inhibit [the tendon’s] ability to create any issues.

Spieth went on to finish with five straight pars to wrap up his opening round, carding a 1-under 70. He then received some treatment, decided to remain in the tournament, and proceeded to shoot a 4-under 67 on Friday, which featured a long putt for birdie on the 18th hole to close out the round.

“I may as well keep [wearing the tape],” Spieth added.

“I don’t really like wearing tape, just because, I don’t know, I feel like I’m going to play racquetball or something. I’ll do it the rest of the week, I’m sure, just to be sure.”