Jordan Spieth to Not Undergo Surgery Yet Despite ‘Recurring’ Wrist Injury Plaguing His Career

Jordan Spieth is trying to manage his ‘come-and-go’ wrist injury. At the RBC Heritage, his left wrist ECU tendon popped out. The extensor tendon sub sheath on the back of his wrist is partially torn, which is why the ECU tendon was dislocated. Spieth admitted surgery is not an option; what he needs is rest. After a week’s break, the former world no. 1 said from TPC Craig Ranch, “It’s a lot of managing it. I’m kind of doing a couple different things to help treat the symptoms that I experience and to not have some recurring problems that have happened.”

With the major season in full swing, the schedule is only going to get more hectic. But Spieth believes that now that he is more regular with therapy, major hiccups won’t happen. “So I’m doing a lot of stuff off the course, therapy side, whether it’s treating tendon to treating the nerve in general. You know, I think that that’s helping. I kind of maybe got a little bit away from it as I got into a heavier stretch of golf the last eight weeks so I had a couple instances that weren’t good.” 

Spieth is coming to CJ Cup Byron Nelson, where he made his PGA Tour debut as a 16-year-old amateur, after a week’s rest. The former Masters champion passed on the Zurich Classic, the Tour’s lone team event. But a week’s rest doesn’t mean much in this type of injury.

Earlier, Jordan Spieth confirmed that he could lift 20 pounds, but doing something as simple as making a sandwich can hurt. In fact, the problem aggravated after the Ryder Cup while reaching for the toaster. The 30-year-old added, “I think I’d probably be advised to take more than one in order for it to really get helped, but it’s one of those things like I’m not doing further damage is my understanding. It’s just management until I can figure out exactly what maybe solves the problem going home.”  

CJ Cup Byron Nelson has been on Spieth’s bucket list since he was a student at Jesuit College Preparatory School. A bold letter to the title sponsor 14 years ago got him a chance to tee off at Four Seasons Resort. Spieth has only three top-10s from ten appearances this season. Massively underwhelming by the grand standard the three-time Major champion has set previously. So, Spieth looks at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson as “kind of a restart” that will set the runway clear for his PGA Championship flight to take off. 

Jordan Spieth wants to set things straight

The venue of CJ Cup Byron Nelson has changed, as has the title sponsor. In his last bid, Spieth had to stop at a solo second. Last year, his wrist prevented him from participating in the hometown event. Ahead of his 12th start, Spieth told the press persons,  “It was actually a big bummer to miss last year. I had been playing pretty well leading into it and had good success the times I played it here at Craig Ranch. So I’m glad to be back this week. Got a heavy stretch of golf coming up, so looking forward to getting back out here at a familiar place with familiar faces.” 

The former Masters champion enters the field as world no. 20, and 44th in the FedEx Cup ranking. Only three top-10s through April wasn’t what he imagined it would be. But Spieth is hopeful that all he needs is a few “confidence-building rounds.” It will be onward and upward from there. 

The three-time major champion has been paired with former world no. 1 Jason Day and Sungjae Im. Day earned the bragging rights when Spieth debuted here almost half a decade ago. Spieth was three shots off the former world no. 1.