Jordan Spieth Misses Cut at 2016 Northern Trust Open: Latest Comments, Reaction

For the first time since the most recent FedEx Cup playoffs, Jordan Spieth missed the cut at a PGA Tour event on Friday at the Northern Trust Open.

Spieth opened with a 79 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, and followed that with a second-round 68 to miss the weekend. 

The 22-year-old phenom closed out last week's tie for 21st at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a six-under 66, suggesting he'd be in fine form at Riviera. Unfortunately, the inconsistency that plagued Spieth in his prior start carried over.

Riviera is known for its tricky, slick greens, and even for a putter as great as Spieth, the going can be tough if he's having to scramble too often, which was often the case during a rough stretch of 36 holes. 

Prior to teeing it up in the Northern Trust Open, Spieth indicated he'd played the course "close to 30 times" but didn't downplay the challenge ahead despite his immense experience at the venue.

"You can go back in your memory, and I can picture all the holes," said Spieth, per Golf Digest's Geoff Shackelford. "I know where the pins are, I know where the breaks are on those greens. But you've still got to get on to the practice greens and then dial in the feel, dial in the speed."

Spieth still has plenty of time to get his game together for a green-jacket defense at April's Masters, but given the caliber of world-class competition among his contemporaries, he'll need to recover in short order.

Rory McIlroy is making his PGA Tour calendar-year debut at the Northern Trust Open, while Jason Day—who's not in the field at Riviera—is still getting back into competitive shape and figures to be a big factor this year as well.

According to his official website, Spieth won't be back in action again until he defends his Valspar Championship crown beginning March 10. He won the tournament in dramatic fashion last year through a three-way playoff against Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair.

Perhaps returning to a place where he's won professionally before will be the ideal way for Spieth to recapture his world No. 1 prowess. But this week's misstep is a far cry from the 30-under-par total he posted to win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions back in January.