Jordan Spieth's 2018 fall schedule now has two stops on it, as the three-time major winner has committed to play in the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. Spieth's Cancun commit adds to his decision to play in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.
This means Spieth will be playing in consecutive weeks in the fall, from Nov. 1-4 at TPC Las Vegas in Nevada, followed by Nov. 8-11 at Mayakoba Resort's El Camaleon course.
Spieth is making his debut in both events.
While Spieth hasn't explicitly said as much, it's perceived these two additions are in response to an agreement struck with the PGA Tour to add these events as a make-good for violating the Tour's one-in-four scheduling rule. For players under 45, who don't have lifetime membership or aren't dual members with the PGA Tour Champions, they have to add a tournament to their schedule each season they haven't played in the prior four, or they can have that requirement waived by competing in 25 recognized events. Last season, Spieth played in 24 events when he came up short of qualifying for the Tour Championship, and he didn't add a new event.
Under PGA Tour policy, a player could be suspended for three tournaments and subject to a major fine for violating the policy. Those penalties are at the discretion of PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.
"I talked to the Tour a little while back and I didn't really think much of it and it becomes a situation then, you know, I obviously accept whatever fine it is and move on and try and add one every year but it's kind of tough," Spieth said after the Tour Championship.
Spieth suggested in Atlanta he could make up not adding a new tournament by adding starts to his fall schedule when the new PGA Tour season starts in October. However, Spieth wasn't certain of how it would all play out.
"I assume it will either be a fine or I'm adding some in the fall," he said. "I don't know if that counts. I'm not sure."
Of course, Spieth could be adding these events now as a precursor to his wedding and subsequent honeymoon, playing North American events as an effective domestic replacement for playing overseas events he's done in recent years.
No matter the reason Spieth is adding these events, it's great for the health of both to have one of the Tour's most popular players spreading around his schedule to other stops, particularly in the fall portion of the wrap-around schedule.
