Out of nowhere comes 21-year old Jordan Spieth to deliver on of the most dominant wins at the Masters ever, leading it wire to wire and finishing with the green jacket without a shred of a threat from anyone else.
Spieth finished the four-day run of superiority by shooting two under 70 and finishing four shots ahead of Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose. He’s the second youngest champion to wear the green jacket since Tiger Woods. He was one five-foot par putt from breaking a different Tiger Woods record; 18 under 270 which Woods set in the past.
Everyone talked about Rory McIlroy and his attempt to complete the Grand Slam. Tiger Woods, good or bad, is always talked about. But Spieth stole the show, and is now number two in the world rankings behind McIlroy who is far ahead of the competition. It’s the first time players 25 or younger have been Nos. 1 and 2 in the world.
There were a few records Spieth managed to set as he held off Mickelson and Rose on the final day: The 36-hole record at 14-under 130, the 54-hole record at 16-under 200, the most birdies for the tournament at 28 and the lowest opening round by a champion at 64. He had some impressive swings on the back nine including swinging for greens on par-5 holes, making him the only player in Masters history to reach 19-under par at any point.
He’s the first golfer since Raymond Floyd in 1976 to lead Augusta all through the four rounds, and is also only the second Masters champion in history other than Craig Wood in 1941 that has never let anyone get closer than three shots throughout the entire tournament.
We’ve seen one-and-dones come and go, and Spieth might still be one of them. But in a sport that’s always looking for a young bright star to carry the torch and inject some new blood into its rankings, Spieth might be it. Rory McIlroy is a fine number one and face of the sport while Woods is struggling to find his form, but if he has an actual rival for the years to come, then Golf is in a very good place.