Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler skipped out on this week’s PGA Tour event in Japan. Instead they are working on swings of a different nature — pickleball.
The two Dallas-area residents and Masters champions teamed up in the Celebrity Battle of the Paddle exhibition in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday.
Scheffler, the reigning Masters champ and PGA Tour Player of the Year, and Spieth, the 2015 Masters champ, took on former Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki and John Isner, one of the top American tennis players during the Professional Pickleball Association’s PPA Tour Round Up.
Pickleball, often described as a combination of tennis, Ping-Pong and badminton, grew nearly 40 percent between 2019 and 2021, making it America’s fastest-growing sport.
Spieth, rocking the backward lid, showed some mad skills in a highlight posted on PGA Tour’s social media channel.
Multi-sport athletes 👀
Scottie Scheffler and @JordanSpieth battling it out on the pickleball court @PPATour. pic.twitter.com/cx0zaLpsZl
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 14, 2022
“Jordan Spieth bringing it,” the commentator noted.
You can also hear Spieth talking to his ball — “down!” he says — but would you expect anything less from Jordan?
Isner showed he can talk trash with the best of them, poking fun at the two Masters champs, asking, “Are you guys more nervous right now or putting to win the Masters?” and delivered a low blow to Spieth, referencing his implosion at the 2016 Masters when he hit twice in the water at the par-3 12th. “You hit about 18 ball on hole No. 12 that one year.”
That jab hurt. Not cool, John, not cool at all.
Talking to the ball while playing pickleball …
Never a doubt.@JordanSpieth and Scottie Scheffler are playing in a @PPATour celebrity match tonight. pic.twitter.com/Lo4ABVeUYS
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 14, 2022
