Jordan Spieth approaches the 18th green at Augusta National with a commanding lead. The crowd roars, a wave of sound washing over him as fans cheer his name. He pauses, bends to adjust his shoe, the setting sun casting long shadows across the Georgia pines.
This was the moment Spieth had envisioned, a lifelong dream unfolding. Yet, as he lived it during the 2015 Masters, a surprising emotion surfaced: he just wanted it to be over.
`Instead of savoring it, doing victory laps, I was almost rushing to finish,` Spieth reflects. `You`d imagine wanting to stretch it out, but after carrying the weight of the lead throughout the tournament, I was simply ready for it to conclude.`
The footage from that final hole reveals this tension. Spieth is restless, touching his hair. His second-to-last putt, as CBS commentator Nick Faldo noted, was his `worst stroke of the week,` drifting wide from five feet. He taps in, embraces his caddie, Michael Greller, and then is enveloped in hugs from family. His grandfather`s words, `I wanted to be here for this,` echo in his ear. More hugs, then a suggestion from his parents to acknowledge the cheering spectators. He turns, offers a brief clap, takes a few steps around the green`s edge, and quickly exits.
In an instant, it was done. Handshakes with waiting caddies, then into scoring, and moments later, he`s in Butler Cabin, facing Billy Payne, the club chairman. He declares his new ambition: to become a two-time champion, joining Bubba Watson, who was about to present him with the green jacket.
A two-time champion. At 21, he had been a one-time champion for barely half an hour.
A decade later, Spieth remains a one-time Masters winner, carrying the subtle marks of a career that has deviated from its predicted trajectory. Looking back at that whirlwind final hole, he chuckles softly at its haste.
`I hope for another chance at that,` Spieth admits. `And perhaps, I`d approach it differently.`
It`s hard to exaggerate Spieth`s dominance in 2015 and the sheer excitement he generated. With Tiger Woods` era of dominance fading, Spieth, alongside Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, stepped into the spotlight. Spieth stood out, being significantly younger than McIlroy and Day, hailed as a prodigy, a generational talent akin to Woods.
It wasn`t just about wins. Vijay Singh`s nine victories in 2004 didn`t capture the imagination like Spieth. Spieth`s allure was in his artistry on the course, his ability to shape shots, his exceptional short game and putting skills that were captivating to watch, even if he wasn`t the longest driver.
He`d curve approach shots around obstacles, hole out from bunkers at crucial moments, and recover miraculously from errant drives, often sinking improbable par putts.
`Jordan Spieth chips in more than anyone I`ve ever witnessed,` remarked two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange. `People called Tom Watson lucky, but when it`s consistent, it`s skill, not chance. He`s aiming for something.`
Ben Crenshaw, another two-time Masters winner and Spieth`s mentor, likened his bold, chance-taking approach to the legendary Wyatt Earp, a `gunslinger mentality`.
Spieth possessed a certain magnetism, a charm. He showed class, like staying to congratulate Zach Johnson after missing a playoff at the 2015 British Open, yet he was far from dull. He famously pranked Justin Thomas, having his car relocated, causing Thomas brief panic, much to Spieth`s amusement.
In 2015, Spieth topped money earnings, scoring average, and top-10 finishes. Statistically, his season ranks among the best since 1983, comparable to Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler`s best years.
`Spieth, early on, was essentially the next Tiger,` notes Matt Courchene of Data Golf. `In fact, by the end of 2015, at just 22, he was ahead of Tiger`s trajectory.`
The Masters was the pinnacle. After a runner-up finish as a rookie, he entered his second Masters on a streak of top finishes. Opening rounds of 64-66 set a new 36-hole record. Spieth recalls two key moments from that start:
First, a misjudged hybrid shot on the 15th Thursday, leading to a bogey and costing him a potential 61 or 62.
Second, the clarity he felt Friday evening as he saw his weekend lead taking shape, a sense of inevitability.
`Okay, this is mine now,` he remembers thinking. `Mine to win or lose.`
And it was. He led by three after round one, five after round two. A steady 70 on Saturday maintained a four-shot lead going into Sunday. That night, he relaxed with `Forgetting Sarah Marshall` and prepared for history.
Sunday saw Justin Rose attempt to challenge Spieth, but without real success. Rose commented on Spieth`s seemingly month-long lead. Spieth, after his quick final green exit, allowed himself a moment in the post-round press conference.
After numerous questions, Spieth was asked for a routine recap of his final round, birdies and bogeys. As journalists began to leave, anticipating deadlines, Spieth meticulously detailed every hole, spending nearly twenty minutes and thousands of words explaining his conquest of his `favorite tournament in the world.`
It felt like the start of a long reign. His U.S. Open win that June fueled Grand Slam talks. Though he didn`t win the British Open or PGA, his high finishes cemented his place as golf`s future, succeeding Tiger Woods. Augusta National, seemingly ideal for his game, made it seem inevitable he`d win more Masters, perhaps many.
But it didn`t unfold that way. Instead of continued ascent, Spieth`s career became a series of peaks and valleys, flashes of brilliance interspersed with periods of struggle.
At the 2017 British Open, on the 13th hole of the final round, Spieth`s tee shot went wildly off course, hitting a spectator and landing in the dunes of Royal Birkdale. A major error at a critical time, seemingly set to derail his chances.
Instead, Spieth took a penalty drop, reached the green, saved bogey, and then went on a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie streak to win by three.
It was his third major, a highlight of a season nearly as statistically strong as 2015.
It also marked his last victory for almost four years.
The reasons for Spieth`s slump are complex. Golf is unpredictable, and history is full of players with periods of dominance followed by decline.
Unlike some struggling players, Spieth kept his caddie and long-time coach, Cameron McCormick. However, McCormick noted Spieth had been experimenting with his swing, moving away from the principles that made him successful.
`I became more of a secondary coach,` McCormick said. `He lost focus on what made him great: ball control and impactful shots.`
Swing inconsistencies added pressure to other areas. While his driving was always variable, his putting, once a strength, also faltered, increasing mental strain.
Consistently a top putter from 2015-2017, he ranked much lower in subsequent seasons, indicating a clear decline.
`Spieth is now a poor short putter,` remarks statistics analyst Courchene. `Not necessarily the yips, but the data shows significant issues.`
Low points included an 81 at Riviera in 2019, a year-long top-10 drought, and struggles at the 2023 Ryder Cup. From 2015-2017, Spieth won ten times; since 2018, only twice. Once world No. 1, he dropped to 92nd, currently ranked around 65th.
`In golf, if you`re stuck in a rut, it`s hard to fake confidence,` Spieth admitted.
Data Golf analysis shows Spieth`s performance pre-2017 rivaled legends like Woods and McIlroy. Since then, his level is closer to solid pros, not superstars.
Whatever the reasons, the decline is evident. For someone with three majors and ten wins in his first five pro years, `average` feels like underachievement.
Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee noted Spieth`s statistical decline, stating he`s `roughly half the player he used to be,` a significant difference from his major-winning peak.
Spieth acknowledges this, knowing occasional wins aren`t fulfilling the promise of 2015. He hasn`t won a PGA Tour event in three years.
`If you`d told me in 2015 where I`d be ten years later, it`s not quite what I`d have expected,` Spieth reflects.
Yet, despite struggles, faith in his Masters potential persists. Every April, discussions and bets focus on Spieth`s Augusta chances. The Masters remains a place of hope for Spieth believers, a unique annual optimism unmatched for players of his current level.
As Spieth returns to Augusta, the question remains: Why might this year be different?
Spieth`s voice softens when discussing Augusta National, filled with warmth and familiarity. It`s like recalling cherished college memories. For Spieth, that place is Augusta National, where he first finished near the top at just 20.
`I just have a good feeling about the place because I know I don`t need my absolute best to compete,` he explains. `I`ve birdied every hole out there.`
While technically not true in tournaments (he`s yet to birdie the 11th in the Masters), the sentiment holds. Augusta is a place of significant experiences for him.
There are difficult memories: a final-round 75 in 2017, a disastrous opening chip last year, and the 2016 meltdown, losing a five-shot lead with water balls on the 12th, described as `disaster and torture` by Faldo.
Yet, statistically, Spieth excels at Augusta, outperforming expectations by about a stroke per round. His strengths in iron play and around the green align perfectly with the course`s demands.
The question is, can he still perform to that level?
Doubts arise from missed cuts in recent years. But interspersed are high finishes: a tie for third in 2021 and fourth in 2023. Spieth emphasizes a turning point at the end of last season, addressing a wrist injury that had bothered him since 2018. He underwent surgery last August.
He paused hitting balls for months, returning gradually, focusing on swing principles from his younger, successful years. `Not swing changes, but a reset to my DNA,` he clarified.
Now, Spieth claims health and confidence. At 31, he`s experienced a career`s worth of ups and downs, and he knows Augusta intimately.
Analyst Justin Ray points out the Masters` unique nature, favoring long-term participants due to its consistent venue and smaller field. Spieth, with his early Masters success, will remain a perennial topic every April, regardless of current form.
Why not believe? Fred Couples contended in his 50s and made the cut at 63. Jack Nicklaus contended in his late 50s. Multiple players have won green jackets decades apart, including Crenshaw, who inspires Spieth with his 11-year gap between Masters wins.
Smylie Kaufman, a former pro, encourages Spieth`s `second act,` believing his potential remains untapped.
Spieth looks forward to sharing stories of his early successes with his children, but he hopes they`ll witness even greater moments. He aims to create new, lasting memories at his `favorite tournament in the world.`
