Consider Jordan Spieth a fan of Congaree Golf Club, host of this week's CJ Cup in South Carolina.
The vagabond event has bounced around in the United States for the last three years, the product of the pandemic and travel restrictions. In 2022, the event has moved out of Las Vegas and into South Carolina lowcountry near Savannah, Ga., and Hilton Head Island. So far, Spieth has taken a shining to the place.
"I got in Sunday night, got out on the course yesterday. I've never been here before," Spieth said Tuesday. "It's really, really cool. I mean, I very much enjoyed the nine holes I played, looking forward to seeing the rest of it today. Just the whole setting here, it reminds me of a couple of my favorite places that I've been and should be a nice firm test for everybody."
Spieth likened the layout to some Australian courses that have appealed to him, with a mixture of stately trees found in parts of the South.
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"There's no rough, so it kind of has a little bit of that Sandbelt feel with the packed kind of sandy areas everywhere," he said. "Then I love just these giant trees that shape the holes, they shape a lot of the tee shots.
"There's a mix of some easier holes, some really meaty hard holes. [There's] some bigger green surfaces with some really tiny tabletop-type greens on par 5s or short par 4s." He added, "Each hole that you're stepping on you're expecting to be somewhat similar to the last and there's something totally different, and that was kind of fun to see on the back nine."
Spieth said he is hoping this week to notch a high finish, getting him off the starting blocks in the final wraparound season of the FedEx Cup era. Between weddings, travel, being a dad and playing in the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship in December, he's short on time. For SPieth, this is his final official start of the year.
"I don't want to start really behind like I have last two years come Kapalua," he said, "and so it would be really nice to get off to a good start and have a strong finish here because I think this is probably the only FedExCup event that I'm able to play this fall."