Before Rory McIlroy’s missed putt at the 2024 US Open became a huge upset in the golf world, another golfer had experienced something similar in his career. It was Jordan Spieth at the 2015 Open Championship at the Old Course, St. Andrews. That year, the 3-time major winner was only a few inches close to winning three back-to-back majors, as he had already won the Masters and the US Open. However, fate was not in Spieth’s favor as at the 17th hole, he missed a putt to make a bogey.

Then he had a chance to make a birdie on the final hole at St. Andrews. From the edge of the Valley of Sin, Spieth took his chance, and the ball turned left, making the 13-time PGA Tour winner miss the playoff by one stroke. He would’ve become the only player to join Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods to win three majors in one calendar year since 2000. It has been nearly a decade since that incident and Spieth won the Claret Jug in 2017.

But for his caddie, Michael Greller, he still regards it as his biggest mistake that he will always remember. On Golf.com’s The Scoop interview, Greller narrated the entire scene from 2015 when Claire Roger asked him about his biggest mistake. He expressed that it was the “hardest loss” for him. Greller added that when you play for a great golfer, there would be great wins but also tough losses, and the St. Andrews one was tough. Talking about what would he change on the 18th hole, Greller explained that he would’ve given Spieth a different club instead of the gap wedge. And maybe that would’ve allowed him to chip in the cup.

“He had won the first two majors that year, and he was tied for the lead with two holes to go. He missed a short putt on 17 and 18 if I had to redo. He ended up hitting a gap wedge, he was left and being aggressive as he was trying to make birdie on the 18th hole at St. Andrews. He ended up coming up a pace short, and it came all the way back down the bottom,” Greller recalled.

The caddie who has seen Spieth winning three masters while pairing up with him, further added, “He had to make a 40-footer to get into the playoff. But in hindsight, I wish he’d hit it to 20 feet behind it; it was a tough shot if you hit the pitching wedge, but I actually cried after that one. I was so upset. Not just that decision.” But what stood out amid all the heartbreak was Spieth’s reaction. In fact, there was no reaction by the 13-time PGA Tour pro!

The caddie said, “He never said anything. He never said why didn’t we hit one more club. But that one, it was just he was on the cusp of having a great chance of winning the first three majors.” It stung harder because later, in fact.

At the PGA Championship, Spieth finished runner-up at Whitling Straits and it showed he was at the cusp of making history. He probably could have won all majors, but it just didn’t happen because of one or other reason. But still, Spieth was calm, he didn’t blame his caddie, and he didn’t throw a fit or burst out from the course. Yet this was not the first occasion when Spieth displayed his impeccable sportsmanship. Greller himself had revealed that on his Facebook after Spieth’s 2016 Masters loss.

It was a story back from the 2011 U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills that Greller had shared. He was then caddying for Justin Thomas in that. Thomas got bounced in the match-play portion while Spieth made it to the quarterfinals, facing British golfer Jack Senor. Spieth’s match was all square, heading for the last hole.

“I grew sick to my stomach as Jordan made bogey on the last hole. Jack had two putts to advance to the semifinals and continue on in the biggest stage of amateur golf. Jack lagged the putt to about two and half feet,” Greller recalled. As he puts it, what happened next had shocked him. So what was that?

“Jordan took off his hat and said, ‘That’s good.’ He walked over to Jack, looked him square in the eyes and shook his hand like a gentlemen. Rather than run to the locker room and escape the scene, he stuck around and thanked his friends who had followed him,” Greller revealed. Moral of the story?

An assurance to stand their ground and come back stronger.

“Don’t feel sorry or sad for us. We won’t get stuck in this moment, nor should you. We will work harder, fight harder and be better for it. We will bounce back as we have done many times. This isn’t life and death stuff. There are far greater struggles that exist in this world than not winning The Masters. We are beyond blessed to do what we do. We are grateful to work alongside the greatest golfers and caddies in the world. It is a challenge we relish. Jordan Spieth is the same genuine, grounded and humble person he was five years ago, in victory or defeat,” Greller had written.

That’s what makes Spieth different from other pros. This leads to Greller talking about one particular quality of the 3-time major, which makes it easy to caddie for him.

Jordan Spieth’s caddie talks about his communicative quality

It won’t work out on the course if a caddie and golfer are not at least good friends. It has been seen that the two need to work in a partnership and communicate to avoid any misunderstanding and for the score to turn out better. And this thing may get complicated if a golfer is not as responsive, but that’s not the case with Michael Greller. It is actually quite the opposite.

In his latest interview, Greller elaborated how he was lucky to be caddying for someone like Spieth because “Jordan wears his emotions on his sleeves,” said the bag man. He further explained how a caddie would always want to know what the golfer is thinking and Spieth does a great job at communicating what he feels, regardless of the hot topic.

Interestingly, Greller also revealed that his employer believes he can hit every shot, even if it means hitting from the edge of a clip. But as he always discusses it with him, it is easier to stop him from actual danger. Yet, Greller proudly added, “You’d rather caddy for a guy that is fearless than who’s scared.” And that’s how the two have been together since 2011. But interestingly, Greller almost didn’t caddie for Spieth for a hilarious reason.

It all started at the 2010 US Amateur at Chambers Bay when Greller met Justin Thomas. It was Thomas who would later introduce Greller to Spieth. But initially, Thomas did not want Greller to caddy for Spieth. “He actually didn’t give me Jordan – I still have the text messages. He’s like, ‘Jordan’s going to win this thing and just rub it in your face,’ because, you know, they were pretty competitive back then”, Greller said.

Rather, Thomas wanted Greller to caddie for Gavin Hall. But, as luck would have it, Hall broke his wrist playing basketball. It was then Thomas connected Greller with Spieth and the rest is history. Now they are looking to further while being on the lookout for their fourth major win together!