Hlas: Jordan Spieth’s world dominance includes John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. - Jordan Spieth was tied for 101st-place after Thursday's first-round of the John Deere Classic.

He might as well have been in 1,001st-place. Or 1,000,001st.

Looking back at Friday's second round on Sunday night, Spieth said, 'I was just trying to make the cut, honestly.”

But there he was again in his familiar spot after a golf tournament on Sunday, collecting a trophy, a first-place paycheck, and hosannas on top of hosannas from everyone who cares about this stuff.

Spieth was four shots out of the lead with six holes to play Sunday. No big whoop. He was five back with six left here in 2013 when he earned his first PGA Tour victory.

For the fourth time this year, with other wins that include a couple of little shindigs known as the Masters and U.S. Open, the 21-year-old was triumphant.

Off Spieth goes to Scotland to try to win to pursue the third championship in golf's Grand Slam, the British Open at fabled St. Andrews. He thinks what happened here will be good for him over at the Old Course. Disagree if you like, but he seems to have quite a handle on preparation and execution.

'I came here for a reason,” Spieth said, 'and we accomplished that reason and certainly have some momentum going into next week.

'This is a tournament that I truly love being at. We have a great time here.”

The feeling is mutual. TPC Deere Run has probably never hosted as many spectators in one day as it did Sunday or as many in a 4-day stretch as it did this tourney.

If people were more inclined to favor a sentimental story over an accomplished celebrity, they might have cheered for 46-year-old, self-described 'prototypical journeyman” Tom Gillis in the sudden-death playoff that Spieth won on the second extra hole

But Gillis, who got the last qualifying spot into the British by virtue of his runner-up finish, didn't fault fans for being overwhelmingly behind Spieth.

'My daughter has a crush on Jordan Spieth,” Gillis said. 'She's 7. I wasn't sure during the playoff whether she was pulling for me or Jordan.

'I think more than anything he's a nice kid. He's a good person. That's what's really going to propel us for the game of golf going forward.”

No one had the indecency to shoot off an air cannon from a boat in the adjoining Rock River when Spieth was on the 16th green. That's what happened to Zach Johnson as he began the backswing of what would have been a 33-foot birdie attempt.

The understandably startled Johnson jumped at the sound, then walked over in the direction of the river and said 'Not cool.”

'It sounded like a gunshot, obviously,” Johnson said later. 'Reverberated up here, someone said. So unfortunate. I don't know what I had, 30 to 35 feet. It's not like I'm tapping something in, you know. I still got my par out of there, and would have liked to hit a better first putt.

'At the same time ... we're used to a lot of things. Maybe not quite that severity or that odd of a thing, but at the same time, you know, regrouping and delays and all that kind of stuff, you've just got to roll with it.

The big boom wasn't the worst thing to happen to Johnson over the last three holes. His 14-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole was agonizingly close to falling in the hole. It rolled over an edge of the cup. The miss cost him a spot in the playoff and a shot at his 12th Tour win.

'I hit a perfect putt,” Johnson said.

In the last four years here, Johnson was first, tied for second, second, and tied for third. He finished at 19-under-par, a stroke behind Gillis and Spieth.

Spieth heads to St. Andrews with all eyes on him. Many have questioned if he did the right thing playing here and not getting to Scotland until Monday with potential golf history on the line.

'I've got plenty in the tank,” Spieth said.

Gillis won the Waterloo Open in 1992. That was a year before Spieth was born.

'When I'm standing there watching him putt in the playoffs,” Gillis said, 'I'm like ‘This is a moment you need to think about and remember the rest of your life because the kid's that good.'

'He'll be there when I'm on the seniors tour. He'll be there when my kids are out of college. He'll be there.”

He's there now.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com

Twitter: @Hlas

Click here to subscribe to Mike Hlas' Facebook page