Jordan Spieth T2 at Cadillac Championship After Late Birdies As Cam Young Leads
The par-4 18th hole at Doral has historically played as one of the hardest holes in PGA Tour history.
Jordan Spieth agrees, but he exited the green breathing a sigh of relief.
"Getting a birdie there (just the sixth of the tournament on No. 18 through two days) felt like a huge steal," Spieth said after a second-round one-under 71. "Just wanted to hit the putt hard enough. They were pretty slow and bumpy this afternoon."
That birdie got the three-time major champion to T2 with Alex Smalley and Nick Taylor at eight-under par after 36 holes of the Cadillac Championship, a signature event, five back of leader Cam Young.
Perhaps the reason Spieth isn't closer to the lead is because of his putter, which has been the story of the past few years. The 32-year-old is second in the 72-player field in strokes-gained total and fourth in approach, but 48th in putting, losing .816 strokes.
Things shifted a bit late in the round, though. After a birdie on the par-4 16th, Spieth's second shot from the rough on the par-4 17th went 49 feet left of the green, before chipping to 7 feet and saving par. Then, on the last, he rolled in a 25-footer.
"I hadn't really made much and I got one to fall in on 17, made the hole look like it existed," said Spieth, who has made 10 starts with five top 25s this season, but hasn't won since 2022. "Then sometimes that's all you need."
Finishing strong
- PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 1, 2026
Jordan Spieth ends his round with 2 birdies in three holes and is T3 heading into the weekend @Cadillac_Champ. pic.twitter.com/p211iydhD9
Young won the Players Championship and finished third at the Masters while playing in the final pairing with champion Rory McIlroy. At Augusta, he felt his putter held him back from securing a green jacket. But the troubles with the flat stick didn't travel with him to Doral. He needed only 20 putts in a first-round, bogey-free 64. And on Friday, he gained two strokes on the greens.
The one part of his game that held him back in a second-round 67 was driving. The world No. 4 hit only five fairways and is T55 in the field in driving accuracy.
"I think you have to have an understanding out here that you're going to get in some difficult places, and yeah, thankfully, I've dealt with that really well," Young said. "I feel like I've kind of kept myself in a space where I'm putting well, so I know if I do hit a few good shots, I'm going to make some birdies.
"That's kind of the mentality I'll try to keep the next few days. If I can just stack a few more good shots, I feel like I'll have more chances and that will be a good thing out there."
Aside from Spieth & Co., Scottie Scheffler is lurking. The world No. 1 is T6 at six under after a bogey-free 67 following an opening 71.
"Felt like I gave myself more looks today than I had yesterday," he said, "especially on the back nine. "Keep doing that over the course of the next couple days, I think I'll be in a decent spot."
Doral, a course that was the 11th toughest on Tour last time the circuit played here (2016), has been a tad more benign than expected. Players, however, didn't go as low on Day 2 as they did in the opening round, with conditions firming up.
If the wind increases over the weekend, that can make it anyone's game.
"Tomorrow it's going to be as windy or windier," Spieth said. "So just trying to stay under par each day is a big deal. Then it will change on Sunday and I think shooting two rounds under par, anything can happen."
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 5:21 PM.