As the melee of golfers jostled for position on Sunday at the AT&T Byron Nelson, it was like watching the first 15 seconds of an F1 race. Golfers came from all over, Matsuyama shot a 62 to catapult up the leaderboard, Xander Schauffele became the early clubhouse leader with a Sunday 61, and was set to provide the biggest comeback on the PGA Tour for four decades.
In the end, K.H.Lee came out on top, defending his title with style and battling off a star-studded lineup with four rounds in the sixties including a Sunday 63. Kudos to Lee for the incredible title defense, but the focus of this article is the return of Mr. Jordan Spieth.
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Twelve years on from his PGA Tour debut at the AT&T Byron Nelson, Jordan Spieth has bettered his 16th place finish in 2010 with a runner-up in 2022, one shot behind Kyoung-Hoon Lee. Aged 16, the then reigning US Junior Amateur champion had a free-flowing swing and a winning mentality. Fresh-faced, he came to the Byron Nelson event, wowing the crowd with a 16th place finish on his PGA Tour debut, giving us a taste of things to come.
His story is already one of grit and determination, of highs and lows. Spieth turned pro in 2012 and set the world alight in 2015, a five-win season including the Masters, the US Open, and the FedEx Cup. His Masters win in 2015 was wire-to-wire, a totally dominant performance. His title defense in 2016 looked rock solid before capitulating on the 12th hole on Sunday, eradicating a comfortable lead and making way for Englishman Danny Willet to capture a surprise green jacket.
Cut to 2021, Spieth had no wins on Tour since the 2017 Open.
He had lost the free-flowing approach, instead of bogged down in swing mechanics. His putter was cold, he had tumbled out of the top 90 places in the #OWGR. He teased us with a Top 10 at the CJ Cup in 2019, before slipping down the OWGR once again. He then bounced back with a win at the Valero Texas in 2021. He finished two shots behind Collin Morikawa at the Open in the same year, showing signs of the old Jordan, before stumbling to his first-ever Missed Cut at Augusta in 2022.
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To correct his string of inconsistent results, Spieth went about equipping himself with a new tempo and a slower backswing to kick off 2022; implementing some serious changes compared to the Spieth of 2015. He shortly made it back-to-back Easter Sunday wins with his wins at the Valero Texas in 2021 and the RBC Heritage in 2022. If the fruits of his labor are coming to light this early after his swing changes, he is surely in for a strong season.
His performance at the AT&T this week was phenomenal, including escapes only Spieth could pull off, and runs of birdies that made the game look easy. Despite the runner-up finish, Spieth has a personal attachment to the Byron Nelson. He disclosed that this was an event he used to sneak into with his dad, before receiving a high school exemption. He has the crowd on his side here in his home state, and the Byron Nelson is one that is always starred on his calendar.
Spieth is also a fan favorite. Not just in Texas, but everywhere. Footage from the RBC Heritage circulated on social media, showing him promising to return to sign autographs for a group of young fans. He followed up on his promise, demonstrating his legitimate nice guy status. His nickname among his peers growing up was ‘Golden Child’, and the stories of him holing out from all over date back to his junior golf days.
The Golden Child is an old head on young shoulders, possessing a wealth of experience already, he has thirteen PGA Tour wins including three majors. We are well aware that when Spieth is on, he’s on. There are countless occasions where he makes a birdie or saves par from ridiculous places, the master of damage limitation to a degree that only Phil Mickelson understands.
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Spieth channels his inner Seve around the greens, he delivers clutch putts that remind us of Tiger in his pomp, and he is Rory-esque in his ability to shoot seriously low numbers, albeit in a different manner than McIlroy. The game of golf is better when Spieth plays well. The crowds swell as he climbs up the leaderboard.
He is very vocal towards his ball, his caddy, the wind, and just about every variable there is on the course, but it is a testament to his competitive desire. After he complains about his bad breaks, he very quickly refocuses and produces another shot for the highlight reel.
The similarities with McIlroy continue; both players have recently become fathers, and both are one major away from completing the Grand Slam. Spieth commands respect at major championships due to his excellent track record. There has been much less hype than expected considering Spieth is capable of becoming only the sixth player of all time to complete the Grand Slam this week.
Most golf commentators are more focused on how Tiger will play or talking about Phil Mickelson’s withdrawal. Spieth’s resume boasts a runner-up finish at the PGA in 2015 and a T3 in 2019; it seems inevitable he will close out the cherished Grand Slam, and the timing could not be better as his runner-up performance at the AT&T – one of several golfers to shoot four rounds in the sixties – leads perfectly into the PGA in Oklahoma.
Spieth has stolen the attention this week as his changes are starting to pay off. He is back in full flow and he’s exciting to watch. With faithful caddie Michael Greller still by his side, Spieth is confident in his team, and he is a must for the betting slip at Southern Hills. The gritty Texan is four solid rounds away from capturing the Wanamaker trophy and turning an already great career into an astonishing one, cementing his place in the upper echelons of the game. I’m excited to see him tee it up on Thursday.
Cover Image Via GolfChannel
