US fans are once again excited. They have a new idol who just might be able to compensate them for the heartache caused by the foreigners’ sparkling form since Tiger Woods suffered his series of misfortunes and lost his magic and number place on the throne of world golf. Finally, a compatriot shows signs of becoming their new hero. The potential Messiah is Jordan Spieth, a young golfer who, with his two victories on the US PGA Tour at just 21 years of age, has matched the feats of Woods, Sergio García and Robert Gamez.
These three had been the only players up till now, in seven decades, to win twice before turning 22. In addition to the Valspar Championship that he won in mid-March and the 2013 John Deere Classic, Spieth – from Dallas (Texas) and a pro since 2012 – has won two other events. Interestingly, the event which earned him most prizemoney (one million dollars) was not an official PGA Tour tournament, although it is included on the schedule as a non-official event: the Hero World Challenge. He won this title last year in fine style, beating his nearest rival, Henrik Stenson, by 10 shots. His only victory so far outside the US was last year’s Australian Open.
Apart from sharing the record of two PGA Tour victories before turning 22, the player challenging to be Tiger’s successor has another similarity with the Californian: both are the only players to have won two US Junior Amateur titles. Woods, in fact, has praised his young colleague’s great golfing qualities.
If his first win on the US Tour, the John Deere Classic, while still only 19, caused a sensation, his performance in last year’s US Masters prompted a similar stir: he became the youngest runner-up in the tournament’s history, only beaten by Bubba Watson, who collected his second green jacket.
In spite of his youth, Spieth has shown great level-headedness at decisive competitive moments. In fact, his two US Tour wins were secured in play-offs. In the John Deere Classic he beat David Hearn and Zach Johnson in sudden-death, and in the Valspar Championship he left Sean O’Hair and Patrick Reed in his wake. Interestingly, the latter had beaten Spieth in a play-off for the 2013 Wyndham Championship title.
Spieth recalls that years ago, when he was an adolescent, his father taught him to set objectives. “That’s been my philosophy, to set goals and work hard, maintain my concentration and try to achieve them as soon as possible. At each level, I always revalue my goals and set new ones: I don’t want to become complacent.”
He’s clear about what is his main objective is in the short term: become world number one (he reached that pinnacle as an amateur). At the moment he’s on the right track: thanks to his Valspar Championship win he rose four places to sixth in the world ranking. Tick tock, tick tock… the countdown begins.
