PGA Championship | Which of the two Jordan Spieth will we see?

There are two Jordan Spieths. The young prodigy who won two major titles the year he turned 21. Then the one who has already lost a five-shot lead on the back nine, on a Sunday, at Augusta National.

Nicholas Richard
The Press

It was April 4, 2021. Under the hot sun of San Antonio, Texas, Spieth’s home state. That day, he wore a gray polo shirt, but above all he had a smile that said it all. Long of relief. At 18^and hole of the Texas Open Valero, he wedged a short putt, about a foot, for par, but more importantly, for the victory. In Spieth’s case, that was nothing out of the ordinary.

He had not won in his previous 82 tournaments. His last victory was in July 2017, when he won the British Open.

Things went back to normal later for the American. He played with more confidence and more consistency. He improved his momentum by changing a few elements and he found the touch on the greens. For a year, Spieth has looked like the young man who was predestined to become one of the greatest in his sport.

He could become one, over the weekend, by winning the PGA Championship. Thus, he could win the only major tournament missing from his record and go down in history by becoming only the sixth golfer of all time to win the Grand Slam, that is to say to win at least once every major tournaments. Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus are the only ones to have achieved the feat. Spieth could therefore add his name to this prestigious list.

That, however, will depend on Spieth showing up at Southern Hill Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It could be the Spieth who had to wait 1351 days before tasting victory again. Who needed 7 shots to conclude the 12^and hole, a par-3, in the final round of the 2016 Masters Tournament. Who struggles to land routine putts of a few inches. Who openly blamed his poor showing at the 2019 U.S. Open on his caddy Michael Greller.

Or we could see the Spieth playing today as the eighth ranked golfer in the world. Who had already won three major titles at the age of 22. Who is able to read and wedge a putt over ten feet like few players have been able to since the beginning of golf. Who has regained his precision of yesteryear and who manages to avoid the pitfalls. Who became a dad. Who won the Heritage RBC Tournament a month ago on Easter Day. Who finished second, by one stroke, last week at the AT&T Byron Nelson Tournament.

Will we witness the resurrection of Jordan Spieth?

For about a year and a half, that’s the impression it gives. He is on a good streak. He started to be dangerous again in the most important tournaments. Then, the course where the PGA Championship will be played will go very well with his game. He said a few days ago that the greens were very similar to those of the Colonial Country Club, where he won in 2016.

Moreover, the type of grass bentgrassused in Southern Hills, is perfect for him, because of its spin on the ball and the reading that is easier to do and favors skillful golfers on long putts.

The field offers a par of 70 and is played on 7365 yards. It is ranked among the top 100 grounds in the world and has hosted the tournament four times, in 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2007.

Tiger Woods wants to win

It’s still hard to believe Tiger Woods was able to make it to the Masters a month ago. And yet, 14 months after a car accident that nearly cost him his life, he made the cut and finished 47^and.

A little over a month later, Woods is about to play his second tournament of the season.

It’s a bit of a homecoming for the 46-year-old golfer, as he won the last PGA Championship in 2007 at Southern Hills. He had won by a two-stroke priority over Woody Austin.

Woods has been in Tulsa for several days now. Long before the other players. He took advantage of only one day off, Monday. The day before, he had played a practice nine.

The American also clarified that if he played, it was because he thought he could win. It would then be his 5^and title at the PGA Championship, from his 16^and victory in a major tournament and his 83^and triumph on the PGA Tour.

He says he can hit balls well, but the biggest difficulty is walking. His body may be in better condition, but the fact remains that just 15 months ago, doctors thought he would have to amputate a leg.

He works harder every day to prove that the Tiger can be king of the jungle again.

The pretenders

Safe bets

Scottie Scheffler: He is number one in the world. He has won four of the last eight tournaments he has participated in. He is the reigning Masters Tournament champion. Scottie Scheffler is already the PGA Tour Player of the Year and there are no signs he’s going to slow down. He will be among the last players to start late on Sunday.

Jon Rahm: The Spaniard has never had a resounding success at the PGA Championship. However, the Southern Hills course, which promotes rolling and movement of the ball, could benefit the second player in the world. He won the last tournament he participated in, in Mexico, and he came to Oklahoma full of confidence.

Rising

Rory McIlroy: If golfers weren’t playing on Saturdays, McIlroy would probably be the most successful player in history. The number of titles he has dropped due to a bad weekend opening round is impressive. He finished second in the Masters a month ago and if he can bring that same energy back he will be dangerous.

Joaquin Niemann: Niemann has had a meteoric rise this season. Winner of the Genenis Invitational in February, the 23-year-old Chilean is gaining more and more confidence. He proved it at the AT&T Byron Nelson Tournament with a game so complete that he must be considered among the contenders for the second major of the season.

Falling

Brooks Koepka: It’s difficult for Brooks Koepka. As much as he can be successful and make his place in a top 10, as long as he can escape an approach shot or a seemingly relatively simple short putt. He didn’t resist the cut in half the tournaments he took part in this year, but Mister Major proved to us that he should never be underestimated in important events.

Dustin Johnson: The man who dominated the world of golf two years ago is no longer a shadow of himself. The American seems to have lost the special touch that placed him above the fray. He wasn’t spared from injuries, but when he played it wasn’t very convincing. He only made two top 10 this season.