Jordan Spieth Nearly Hits Spectator During US Open Practice Round at Shinnecock Hills

Jordan Spieth came dangerously close to striking a spectator with a golf shot during a Monday practice round ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. While reading numbers from a launch monitor beside the fairway, Spieth hit what appeared to be a routine wedge approach shot toward the green when a spectator unexpectedly walked into the ball's path. The three-time major champion visibly tensed and exclaimed, "Oh God, Jesus," as he realized the near miss, saying the shot "almost smoked him in the head."

According to footage of the incident, Spieth had consulted with his longtime caddie, Michael Greller, before the shot. Greller had indicated the spectator was safely positioned on the back edge of the green, but the man subsequently moved directly into the trajectory of Spieth's wedge shot. The incident highlights an unpredictable moment during what was otherwise a routine practice session.

The near-accident fits within a broader pattern that has come to define Spieth's golfing career. The golfer has built a reputation for finding unusual situations on golf courses and, remarkably, escaping them with consistency. This latest incident underscores how even during practice rounds, the unexpected can occur in professional golf.

Spieth enters the 2026 U.S. Open as one of the tournament's more intriguing competitors. He has compiled nine top-25 finishes in 15 starts this year, though he has not won on the PGA Tour since April 2022. His recent form included a missed cut at The Memorial in early June. At Shinnecock Hills, Spieth is looking to improve on his record at the venue—he missed the cut during the 2018 U.S. Open but achieved his first top-25 finish at a major since 2021 at last year's U.S. Open.