During the final round of the Masters on Sunday, Jordan Spieth inadvertently caused a stir when he collided with a patron, reportedly his manager, Jay Danzi, by flicking his putter in an unexpected manner. The incident unfolded as Spieth made his way along the walkway between holes at the Augusta National Golf Club, engaging with fans.

While holding his putter in one hand, the former world No 1 greeted fans with fist bumps using his free hand. A grey-haired man, identified by various sources as Danzi, extended his arm for a greeting, leading to a fist bump that turned unfortunate when Spieth’s putter also made contact with the man’s groin area. The impact caught him off guard, prompting an immediate reaction as he doubled over in apparent pain. As the scene unfolded, Spieth continued walking towards the next tee, seemingly unaware of the commotion he had caused.

A clip of this unusual incident circulated rapidly across social media, drawing mixed reactions from fans, some of whom suggested that it might have been a deliberate act by Spieth. However, it has been clarified that the individual involved was indeed Danzi, raising questions about the dynamics of their professional relationship.

This peculiar moment was not the only instance that brought Spieth into the spotlight this week at the Masters. On Saturday, he publicly addressed the issue of 'mud balls', an unspoken challenge faced by players on the course. The term refers to golf balls that become dirty, primarily due to the state of the grass being mowed towards the tee boxes, which can lead to a frustrating experience for players. Spieth, who recorded a third-round score of 69 to bring his total to one under par, expressed his frustrations regarding this phenomenon.

Speaking candidly about the impact of mud balls on performance, Spieth remarked, “My iron play killed me the last two days, and to be brutally honest with you, it was primarily mud balls. It's just so frustrating because you can't talk about them here. You're not supposed to talk about them.” He further noted the specific holes where players are likely to encounter these troublesome balls, specifically mentioning holes 11 and 13, which he described as particularly challenging.

Spieth's willingness to speak on such a controversial topic has raised eyebrows among officials and players alike, as it tends to be a subject that is often overlooked in discourse surrounding the prestigious tournament. He has pointed out that while there have been improvements regarding the prevalence of mud balls, players still experience them, which can affect strategy and decision-making during play.

As the Masters continues to captivate audiences both on and off the course, Spieth's candidness combined with the unexpected mishap with his manager has added an additional layer of intrigue to the event.

Source: Noah Wire Services