Kevin Kisner did not hold back in his NBC broadcasting debut on Saturday night after he hit out at Jordan Spieth when missing a short birdie putt on the 15th in the third round of The Sentry.
Sentry R3: Jordan Spieth criticised by Kevin Kisner but remains in hunt for second title at Kapalua.
Kisner, a four-time winner of the PGA Tour, took aim at Spieth for taking too long to make short putts.
Because Spieth does not take as long over three-footers, Kisner feels that he is far more adept at holing 25-footers.
Joining the video below, Kisner observes Spieth laboring over a brief birdie putt on the par-5 15th hole.
Kevin Kisner hits out at Jordan Spieth over length of time taken on short putts
“If I was going to help him I would tell him to speed it up a little bit on these and just knock it in… he knows how to make these,” said Kisner, just before Spieth looked at the hole and then pulled the trigger.
Spieth then proceeded to miss the putt as the ball lipped out on the right side.
On-course analyst and former PGA Tour player Smylie Kaufman then said: “You called it, Kiz.”
Spieth then tapped in for par and then complained about how he missed the putt citing both the wind and the grain.
As Spieth muttered to himself, Kisner said: “It’s three feet Jordan, just knock it in bud.”
Despite Spieth’s struggles on the 15th, he still went on to card a flawless round of 6-under 67 to keep his hopes alive of a second victory in this event, which was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions when he won it back in 2016.
The three-time major champion finds himself at 19-under par and just two strokes off the 54-hole pace set by Chris Kirk (66).
Spieth is looking to win the 14th PGA Tour title of his career and his first since the 2022 RBC Heritage.
Akshay Bhatia is one stroke behind Kirk on 20-under par following a round of 66.
Xander Schauffele, who left adidas Golf to join Descente earlier this week, vaulted up to 19-under par thanks to a superb 8-under 65.
South Korea’s Ben An is also on 19-under par after going round in 68.
A large group of star names are wrapped up a further shot behind including Jason Day, who has caused a stir with his decision of new Malbon clothing this week. Day presented a 67 on climb to 18-under standard close by Sahith Theegala (68) and Harris English, who terminated a shocking round of 9-under 64. English was 6-under standard on the last five openings, featured by a bird three at the eighteenth. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler held the 36-opening lead on 16-under standard however he could card a 71 to likewise move to 18-under standard. Scheffler found the green in two shots on the standard 5 eighteenth however he three-putted from 35 feet for standard to pretty much summarize his day.
Viktor Hovland (72) had a two-opening stretch to fail to remember on the back nine as he missed the thirteenth and significantly increased the fourteenth in the wake of sending a greenside fortification shot OB to drop out of conflict on 15-under standard.
VIEW LIVE SCORES HERE
The Sentry – Third Round Leaderboard
-21 C Kirk (US)
-20 A Bhatia (US)
-19 X Schauffele, J Spieth (US), B An (Kor)
-18 J Day (Aus), S Theegala, H English, S Scheffler