Sports Editor
In a great week of golf, Jordan Spieth
pulled off one of the greatest performances we have ever seen at the Masters.
Not only did he win the Masters at such a young age, but he did it in a way that
we haven’t seen in 39 years. The greatness of this performance will be looked
upon in awe for years to come, and as young as he is, Jordan Spieth is just
getting started.
It was a record-breaking performance for
Spieth, who got things started on Thursday by shooting a 64 (-8) which is one
shot from the all-time low round in Masters history. That gave him a three shot
lead over the likes of Jason Day, Justin Rose, and Ernie Els. Spieth stayed red
hot in the second round separating himself from the field shooting a 66 (-6)
putting him at -14 for the tournament and setting the record for the lowest
36-hole score. That gave him a six shot lead going into the weekend.
Saturday at the Masters is considered
“Moving Day” and that is exactly what Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods did. The
three-time winner Mickelson had the low round of the day (67) which was highlighted
by an incredible 60 foot putt on the 16th hole which produced maybe
the loudest roar of the weekend. Tiger Woods also started to look like the
Tiger of old, birdieing four of the first eight holes which launched him up the
leader board. Those efforts, however, did not get them anywhere close to Spieth
who was on his way to another sub-70 round until he hit the 17th
green. In perhaps his only hiccup of the entire tournament, he misjudged a
pitch which rolled off the green then three putted to give him a double bogey.
Then on the 18th he fired his second shot into the gallery behind
the green, and it looked as if the wheels were falling off the young talent.
Spieth kept his poise and hit what was described by CBS’ Nick Faldo as an
“impossible shot”. Spieth was on a hill behind the green with a bunker between
him and the hole. Instead of taking the safe route of simply chipping it on the
green which would have given him a longer putt, Spieth pulled off an
unbelievable lob shot that sailed gracefully over the sand trap and rolled
right by the hole. If that shot would have been on Sunday, it would be right up
there with the Bubba shot out of the woods we witnessed a few years ago. Spieth
set another record Saturday, for lowest score after 54-holes (-16).
At this point in the tournament it was
Jordan Spieth’s green jacket to lose, and after having the lead going into the
final round a year ago and coming up short, he was not going to let anyone take
it from him. Most golfers who have a six shot lead in the final round of a
major tournament will sit on the lead, especially at a demanding course such as
Augusta National. Spieth, however, played like he was trailing by six strokes,
and that is what sets him apart from other champions. For example, on the Par
five 13th hole he decided to go for the green in two instead of
laying up to the water hazard. With the ball in flight Spieth started yelling
at his ball, as he did on almost every shot, to “Go hard” as in get over the
water hazard. The ball landed just over the hazard and rolled right by the hole
to give him an eagle putt. A smile came across Spieth’s face and a look of
relief, probably the first moment when he realized he was going to win the
Masters. Two holes later Spieth broke another record, becoming the first golfer
ever to reach -19 at the Masters. He would bogey the final hole but he tied the
record for lowest finishing score (-18) with Tiger Woods who set the record in
1997.
Immediately following his win many
people were quick to compare Spieth to Woods of 15 years ago. Both won their
first Masters at age 21 and did so in dominating fashion. That being said, it’s
unfair to compare him to Woods because then our expectations of such a young
athlete go through the roof. If and when he doesn’t meet them, the media will
view it as a failure. Jordan Spieth is an incredible golfer and will probably
dominate the sport for a long time. Twenty years from now, the golfing world
will look back at this weekend and realize it was the beginning of a very successful,
perhaps record breaking career for Jordan Spieth.
