PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Jordan Spieth stepped to the tee at TPC Sawgrass' revamped 12th hole during his Tuesday practice round, 270 yards separating him from the front edge of the green, a driver confidently resting in his hands.
The decision-making process is decidedly easier in a non-competitive round, but Spieth was hardly being exceedingly aggressive, or overly careless, with his selection. He wanted to hit a good one. He wanted to gain a little optimism on a hole that had caused him problems in previous years.
He swung that driver, carried those 270 yards and watched his ball burn the edge of the cup for what would have been an elusive par-4 hole-in-one.