“I just couldn’t get a stance to where I could aim directly at the pin”, McIlroy said.
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And then he got even.
“No matter what, it’s a dream-come-true season”, said Spieth, who was at 8-under 202. “This is an event where we approached it like a major championship”.
So while several players can pat themselves on the back for successful seasons, it was all about Spieth at East Lake, and the crowds made that clear as he walked down the final stretch at 18.
Stenson had three runner-up finishes in the postseason, and he has five for the year without winning.
It is the first time since 1973 two players have won five times in a year, but on the back of his two major championship titles to Day’s one (US PGA Championship) and the FedEx series win Spieth virtually guaranteed the award will be his. Both golfers had phenomenal years in 2015. “It was the same putting display today – just an exhibition on the greens to be honest”.
Jordan Spieth was so consumed with trying to make birdies and save pars on a rugged, rainy Saturday afternoon at the Tour Championship that he didn’t realize until after he signed for a 2-under 68 that he had a one-shot lead. He scraped by and tied for 10 with a 2-under – a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion to a phenomenal season. No, that one would have been worth $10 million as the FedExCup playoff champion.
“I need to play those (first six) holes a lot better tomorrow”, he added.
Spieth has won four titles this year including the Masters and U.S. Open for his first two majors.
Spieth, who also won the US Tour’s Valspar Championship and John Deere Classic, admitted he was stung into action by his back-to-back missed cuts in the first two playoffs events.
Spieth read the wet greens with experience far beyond his age and it paid off with masterpiece strokes like his 20-foot birdie on the par-5 ninth and 46-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 11th hole. On those occasions where he was in trouble, his putter – as so often – proved to be a loyal ally.
Spieth was under par in each of his four rounds this weekend and also managed to regain his status as No. 1 in the World Golf Ranking. His sand shot ran 35 feet past the cup and he two-putted for bogey. His parents, girlfriend, grandfather and high school friends from Dallas were at East Lake to watch another incredible performance in a year filled with them.
“We’re fearless”, said Spieth, whose 66 yesterday left him just three shots behind leader Henrik Stenson.
Spieth seized control with an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 8, a two-shot swing when Stenson took bogey from the trees and the bunker.
Steven Bowditch finished his season at even par in a tie for 12th.
“I’m looking forward to getting some rest”.
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“Whatever I’m doing, I’m very stubborn with it. I want to be the best at whatever I do”.
