Golf phenomenon Jordan Spieth returned to Fort Worth on Monday as he prepares to defend his title this year at the Dean & DeLuca Invitational set for May 22-28 at Colonial Country Club.
Spieth won the 2016 tournament with a dramatic finish of three closing birdies for a 17-under-par win. The Dallas native was in Fort Worth Monday for a luncheon with top tournament officials and sponsors.
“To win here is very special to me,” he told the group. “I will remember that entire back nine and the feelings it gave me. It is so special to win a tournament I came to for years as a kid.”
Then Spieth commented about his two jackets that came with championships, the Colonial plaid jacket and the Augusta green jacket from the Masters. “The two jackets that I have are the coolest trophies,” he said. “You feel like you’re part of the place when you put it on; it’s another home. I feel like Colonial is a second home to me.”
Some early commitments to the field include eight-time tour winner Brandt Snedeker, 2013 PGA Champion Jason Dufner and local recent winners Rod Pampling and Cody Gribble. About 125 total players are expected for the tournament.
Full list of early commitments:
Aaron Baddeley
Ricky Barnes
Chad Campbell
Greg Chalmers
Keith Clearwater
Jason Dufner
Matt Every
Cody Gribble
Emiliano Grillo
David Hearn
Charley Hoffman
Si Woo Kim
Colt Knost
Jason Kokrak
Martin Laird
Danny Lee
Marc Leishman
David Lingmerth
Ben Martin
William McGirt
Kevin Na
Ryan Palmer
Rod Pampling
Martin Piller
Kyle Reifers
Brandt Snedeker
Jordan Spieth
Kevin Streelman
Chris Stroud
Brian Stuard
Daniel Summerhays
Vaughn Taylor
Johnson Wagner
www.DeanandDeLucainvitational.com