Jordan Spieth, quizzed relentlessly about how he was going to top his stellar and historic 2015, let his clubs do the talking Sunday en route to routing the field and destroying the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on the island of Maui.
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Jordan Spieth has brought his old form to the new year, cruising to victory at Hawaii’s Tournament of Champions.
Spieth turns 23 in late July so who knows how many wins (or majors) he will have added by then.
If his birdie attempt at 17 had not fallen a foot short of the hole, he would have levelled the PGA record for 72 holes of 31 under which is held by Ernie Els.
“I felt like it was a short, three-week break and continue what we were doing a year ago”, said Spieth, coming off a five-victory season that included the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in University Place and the Masters. “I just think it’s premature but I’ll say that probably my entire career”, Spieth explained. “All parts were firing”.
Reed, the defending champion at Kapalua, moved three shots behind Spieth with a birdie on the par-5 ninth. The Texan made it back-to-back birdie when he sunk a 14-foot birdie putt on the par-four 10th hole to move to 27-under. Amazingly Reed made only one bogey all week, and that didn’t come until the 15th hole on Sunday. Koepka closed with a 71 and tied for third with Brandt Snedeker (67).
Spieth holed seven birdies, including his final hole at the 18th, to clinch his seventh Tour title, matching Tiger Woods’ record for the second most trophies won before the age of 23. Woods won his seventh in only his 38 tournament as a pro.
“Nowhere near”, Spieth said when asked how his record stacks up with Woods’. “I think it’s awfully early (in his career)”.
“I can’t imagine ever being done again, but it’s very nice to be in that company”. “If you look at the stats at how those who have had a double-major season have performed the next year… well, it’s hard to back up”.
Having backed Spieth and Patrick Reed after the first round, I never really had anything to worry about in Hawaii, so it’s been a great start to the year but not backing Reed in the Without Spieth market yesterday at around 6/4 turned out to be a mistake. He eventually went on reach 30-under-par and to beat Patrick Reed by fully eight strokes and Rory McIlroy and Jason Day et al are going to have to produce stratospheric golf in 2016 if they’re going to nudge Jordan off his lofty perch.
The next question is how good he can get.
Koepka had his best score on the PGA Tour and still shaved only two shots of his deficit, though he at least has one more day.
It still contained seven birdies and one bogey and was enough to ensure a sixth tour win in the last 21 outings.
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Spieth ran off four straight birdies on the front nine to keep his distance.
