On eve of Colonial, Texas ex Jordan Spieth fired up to see Gary Patterson land with UT
Count golf star Jordan Spieth among those fired up to see Gary Patterson wearing burnt orange these days.
“I’ve always enjoyed being around Coach,” Spieth said during a media availability Wednesday at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
“Most of the time, it was his bragging rights on their (TCU’s) success against Texas. Obviously we have (Chris) Del Conte as well and it just feels like we poached the best assets TCU has had. Hopefully it leads to success in Austin.”
Patterson joined the Longhorns’ staff as a special assistant to coach Steve Sarkisian this offseason. Patterson’s tenure with TCU came to an abrupt end as he parted ways in the middle of the season, exiting as the school’s all-time winningest coach with 181 wins.
Patterson was among the notable participants in Wednesday’s pro-am as well as current TCU coach Sonny Dykes and athletic director Jeremiah Donati.
“(Patterson) is a great football coach and can do nothing but help the ‘Horns,” Spieth said. “It would be really exciting if we achieved to our capabilities one of these years. Maybe it’ll be an exciting year for us. Seems like we’re making all the right kinds of hires and have the right people in the room.”
Spieth wasn’t the only golfer who addressed college football on Wednesday. After all, we are in Texas.
Ryan Palmer, a Colonial member and proud Texas A&M product, weighed in on the feud between A&M coach Jimbo Fisher and Alabama coach Nick Saban. Saban accused Fisher and A&M of buying every player in its latest recruiting class.
“I listened to a lot of the things that happened, that were said. You know, good for Jimbo for stepping up and standing up to what was said,” Palmer said. “Whatever A&M is doing as far as their recruiting, nobody is doing anything different anywhere else.
“As an Aggie, we’re proud and excited for what Jimbo has been doing at Texas A&M. Maybe Saban is still bitter from getting beat last year, I don’t know.”
However, Palmer isn’t excited about the future of the sport. He believes the NIL era will have a negative impact in the long run.
“I think what’s going on in college football is going to end up ruining college football,” he said. “What they’re doing, this name, image and likeness and this transfer portal. I feel for the future of college football for sure.”
Palmer on golf
On the golf front, Palmer is feeling good about where his game is at. He finished tied for fifth at the AT&T Byron Nelson two weeks ago and missed the cut by one stroke at last week’s PGA Championship.
But, most important, Colonial is a course that Palmer knows as well as anyone in the field. He and his caddie James Edmondson are both members and consider this their “fifth major.”
“Knowing everything about this golf course, every break, every subtlety about it, for me it’s just a matter of just letting it happen, not trying to force it,” he said. “I’m excited about this week, obviously, but the course is in perfect shape. My game is ready for the challenge. I’m excited for what my game is going to bring.”
Thomas ready
It wouldn’t have been surprising if Justin Thomas took a victory lap after winning the PGA Championship last week. But Thomas honored his commitment to Colonial as it’s quickly becoming one of his favorite courses.
Thomas will be making his third straight appearance in Fort Worth, finishing tied for 10th in 2020 and tied for 40th last year.
“It just puts a premium on ball-striking and playing good golf,” he said. “I just like the old-school designs because this place is a good example of you don’t need length to make a golf course hard.”
