Jordan Spieth approaches the 18th green at Augusta National with a commanding lead. The crowd roars, chanting his name. He pauses to tie his shoe, the Georgia sun setting in the background.
This was the moment Spieth had envisioned, the dream he`d chased. But in the reality of the 2015 Masters, he was simply eager for it to be over.
`I was rushing to finish rather than savoring it,` he admits. `You`d expect to want it to last forever, but after the stress of leading from day one, I was just ready for it to be done.`
It showed in his final hole performance. Spieth seemed restless, toying with his hair. His second-to-last putt, described by CBS`s Nick Faldo as his `worst of the week,` veered off course. He tapped in, embraced his caddie, Michael Greller, and then shared hugs with family. His parents suggested a celebratory lap of the green, but Spieth only managed a quarter of it before heading off.
Suddenly, it was over. Handshakes with caddies, then into scoring, and moments later, he was in Butler Cabin, facing Billy Payne, declaring his next goal: to become a two-time champion like Bubba Watson.
A two-time champion at 21, just minutes after becoming a one-time champion.
A decade later, Spieth remains a one-time Masters winner, carrying the weight of a career that hasn`t quite met early expectations. Reflecting on that final hole, he chuckles at how quickly it all transpired.
`I hope for another chance,` Spieth says, `and maybe I`d approach it differently.`
Spieth`s dominance in 2015 was captivating. With Tiger Woods` decline, Spieth, alongside Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, emerged as leading figures. Spieth, being the youngest, was seen as golf`s next prodigy, reminiscent of Woods.
His appeal wasn`t just in results. Unlike Vijay Singh`s winning streak in 2004, Spieth had a sparkle. Despite not being a long driver, his creativity around the greens and clutch putting were TV gold.
He masterfully shaped shots, holed out from bunkers in crucial moments, and often followed errant drives with miraculous recoveries and par-saving putts.
Curtis Strange, a two-time U.S. Open champion, noted, `Jordan Spieth chips in more than anyone I`ve ever seen. It`s not luck; he`s aiming for something.`
Ben Crenshaw, another Masters champion and Spieth`s mentor, likened his bold, chance-taking approach to Wyatt Earp.
Spieth possessed a captivating charm. He was classy, like waiting to congratulate Zach Johnson after missing a playoff at the 2015 British Open. But he also had a playful side, like the prank on Justin Thomas at the Phoenix tournament.
In 2015, Spieth topped money earnings, scoring average, and top-10 finishes. Statistically, his 2015 season ranks as the ninth-best since 1983, according to Data Golf, with only Woods and Singh ahead of him among non-Woods seasons.
`Spieth was essentially the next Tiger,` says Matt Courchene of Data Golf. `He was even ahead of Tiger`s pace at 22.`
The Masters was the pinnacle. After a runner-up finish as a rookie, Spieth entered his second Masters with a streak of top finishes. He set a 36-hole record and felt an air of inevitability.
`This is mine now,` he recalled thinking. `Mine to win or lose.`
He led by three after round one, five after round two, and by four going into Sunday. He watched `Forgetting Sarah Marshall` that night and prepared for history.
On Sunday, Justin Rose challenged but couldn`t overcome Spieth. Rose remarked it felt like Spieth had been leading for a month. In the post-round conference, Spieth detailed his final round hole-by-hole for nearly 20 minutes, relishing his `conquest of my favorite tournament.`
It seemed like the start of a long reign. His U.S. Open win fueled Grand Slam talks. He finished strong in the other majors and ended the year with accolades and a perceived lock on golf`s future. Augusta National, seen as his ideal course, suggested more Masters wins were highly likely.
But it didn`t unfold that way. Spieth`s career became a series of peaks and valleys, showing flashes of brilliance but lacking consistent dominance.
At the 2017 British Open, Spieth`s wayward tee shot on the 13th seemed disastrous. But he recovered, saved bogey, and then went on a birdie streak to win by three.
It was his third major, capping a season nearly as strong as 2015. But it was also his last win for almost four years.
The reasons for Spieth`s slump are complex. Golf is unpredictable, and history is full of fleeting dominance. Theories include swing changes, despite keeping the same caddie and coach, Cameron McCormick. McCormick noted Spieth`s swing ideas deviated from their established principles, impacting his ball control.
Swing inconsistencies affected other areas. Putting, once a strength, faltered, adding mental pressure.
Consistently a top putter from 2015-2017, Spieth`s putting stats declined sharply in subsequent seasons.
`Spieth is now a poor short putter,` notes statistician Courchene. `It`s clearly an issue.`
Low points included an 81 at Riviera in 2019, a year-long top-10 drought, and Ryder Cup struggles. After 10 wins from 2015-2017, he only had two more since 2018. From world No. 1, he fell to as low as 92nd and currently ranks 65th.
`It`s hard to fake confidence in golf when you feel stuck,` Spieth admitted.
Data Golf indicates Spieth`s performance level post-2017 aligns with solid pros, a stark contrast to his earlier, Woods-like trajectory. For a player of his initial promise, `average` feels like underachievement.
Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee stated Spieth is `roughly half the player he used to be,` a significant drop from major-winner to merely decent.
Spieth acknowledges this, recognizing that sporadic wins are not fulfilling the promise of 2015. He hasn`t won on the PGA Tour in three years.
`If you told me in 2015 where I`d be in 10 years,` Spieth reflects, `it`s not what I`d have hoped for.`
Yet, faith in Spieth at the Masters persists. Each April brings renewed hope, with analysts and bettors anticipating a Spieth resurgence at Augusta. Despite struggles, the Masters remains his reset button, an annual belief in his potential.
The recurring question as Spieth returns to Augusta: Why might this year be different?
Spieth`s voice brightens when discussing Augusta National. It`s a place of comfort and familiarity, like college for many, but his `campus` is a world-renowned golf course. He debuted there at 20, finishing second.
`I feel good there, even without my best game,` he says. `I`ve birdied every hole.`
While technically not true in tournaments (he`s yet to birdie the 11th in the Masters), his sentiment rings true. Augusta holds many memories, both good and bad.
Nightmares include a final-round 75 in 2017, a disastrous first-round chip last year, and the 2016 meltdown on the 12th, losing a five-shot lead, described as `disaster and torture` by Faldo.
Yet, statistically, Spieth overperforms at Augusta. Data Golf shows he scores better than expected per round. His strengths in iron play and around the green are ideal for the course.
The question remains: can he still perform to that level?
Doubts arise from missed cuts in 2022 and 2023. Hope comes from a third-place tie in 2021 and fourth in 2023. Spieth emphasizes a turning point at the end of last season, addressing a wrist injury from 2018, which required surgery last August.
He rested for months, then focused on regaining his earlier swing mechanics. `Not swing changes, but a reset to my DNA,` he explained.
Now, Spieth claims health and confidence. At 31, he`s experienced a career`s worth of ups and downs. And he knows Augusta intimately.
Analyst Justin Ray notes the Masters` unique familiarity for long-term players. Spieth`s early success there ensures he`ll be a Masters talking point every April.
History offers encouragement. Fred Couples contended in his 50s and made the cut at 63. Jack Nicklaus tied for sixth at 58. Crenshaw, Spieth`s mentor, won green jackets 11 years apart.
Spieth is aware of Crenshaw`s gap, a reminder that his story isn`t over.
Smylie Kaufman, a former pro, encourages Spieth`s `second act,` believing the world awaits his next achievements.
Spieth envisions telling his children about his 2015 Masters win, but hopes they`ll witness even greater moments at Augusta, moments he`ll fully embrace.
`I remember the good and bad clearly,` Spieth reflects. `And I think, how can I create more memories here at my favorite tournament?`
