At some point, the way things are going, we’ll need to have this conversation about Jordan Spieth and the Masters, so we might as well just coin the term.
Is it time to think about “Jordan-Proofing”? You know, adding length, creating a few more hazards, perhaps even contemplating some Putt-Putt style obstacles?
There are probably about, oh, 88 or so other golfers willing to at least entertain the idea, after the reigning, defending, every-bit-as-green-as-his-jacket champion of Augusta National opened the 2016 Masters Thursday with a bogey-free round of 66. Much of the narrative heading into this edition of the Masters was that course officials, in an effort to prevent another record-tying, 18-under-par type performance, were doing all they could to quicken the greens, and keep scoring under control. Yet here was Spieth, serving notice once again that there’s really no defense for truly great golf, and that when he’s at the top of his game, there are very few who can keep up.
“I just, I enjoy this tournament more than anywhere else,” said Spieth after the round, confirming what seemed evident to anyone watching, “It’s easy for us. We don’t have many distractions in our preparation, and we enjoy that you’re able to feel like you get enough done. You have enough time for everything, and that’s useful when you start on the first hole.”
Augusta stands for tradition, above all things, for better and, quite often, for worse. And though he was unable to actually tee off this year, Thursday began as it has for many years now, with the patrons paying tribute to Arnold Palmer, as part of the customary starting threesome, alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. And by day’s end, it was Spieth who was able to pay his own tribute to The King, simply by following in his legendary footsteps, as noted by ESPN’s Jason Sobel.
Jordan Spieth trying to lead after five straight Masters rounds. Only one player has done that before: Arnold Palmer, who went six straight.
— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGolf) April 7, 2016
Perhaps the most disconcerting part, for Spieth’s competitors, and anyone who hoped to see a changing of the guard on the 18th green this year, was how effortless, how routine, how tidy his opening 18 holes became. His six birdies all came on putts from within 15 feet, and while the occasional par save was necessary, (particularly this bit of wizardry on the 11th hole), the round was less a product of miraculous shotmaking, and more the consequence of a smart, efficient player who does everything well enough, and rarely puts himself into dangerous positions.
And the scariest part, for the rest of the field? Spieth believes there’s room to improve.
“Got a lot out of the round with what I felt like was average-ish ball striking,” he explained, “Just scored the ball extremely well, which is something I’ve been struggling with this season. I feel like my game’s been trending in the right direction, I just haven’t gotten the scores out of how I’ve felt I’ve been playing.”
Three more days scoring like this, and Spieth will join Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods in one of the most prestigious foursomes imaginable: the only men to win back-to-back at Augusta. But regardless of what happens for the remainder of the weekend, Thursday was Spieth’s opportunity to grab back the spotlight, and as hard as it might be to process, it’s entirely possible that he’s been somewhat underestimated heading into the tournament.
For some time now, the conversation in golf has revolved around “The Young Guns”, thanks to continuing injury woes for Tiger Woods, a generation of players like Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, and Vijay Singh, who have aged out of the primes of their careers, and of course, a cavalcade of fresh new faces, who have arrived just in time to be marketed as the future of the PGA Tour. Not that such an effort is in any way contrived. This is indeed a boom-time for golf’s youth movement, with an array of new stars from across the globe.
Rory McIlroy, needing only the green jacket to complete his career grand slam, entered the weekend in good form, and is very much in the mix after an opening round 70. Rickie Fowler, despite shooting a disappointing eight-over-par round that will likely send him home for the weekend, is playing some of the best golf of his career, and remains a good bet to break through at a major championship soon. For Jason Day, the opening round was a roller coaster, which saw the world No. 1 ranked golfer just off the lead at 5-under through 14 holes, only to drop back to even par by the day’s end, thanks in large measure to an ugly triple-bogey on the par three 16th.
There is no denying the immense talent of these, and so many other 20-somethings currently taking over the upper echelon of the sport. And yet, watching Thursday’s round, it was impossible not to at least contemplate the question. What if Jordan Spieth is simply a cut above? By finishing in the top-5 at all four majors last season, golf’s next big thing came about as close to a calendar-year grand slam as anyone thought was possible. And when one steps back for a moment, and contemplates that Spieth is four years younger than McIlroy, five than Fowler, six years removed from Day, and is entering just his fourth season as a professional? It’s only then that the mind truly begins to reel. Not simply for those watching at home, or in the gallery, but apparently also for those alongside him.
“I was impressed by everything today,” said playing partner Paul Casey, a 38-year-old Englishman who managed a rather impressive three-under-par round himself. “That was a flawless round of golf. I played a wonderful round of golf, but it was great to have a front-row seat to watch that.”
Casey explained to the gathered media that when he was first told he’d be paired with Spieth to start the tournament, he assumed fellow pro Kevin Na was pulling his leg. “I truly didn’t believe him,” he added with a chuckle, “I’m honored to have that draw.”
Truly, there is no better evidence of the heights to which Jordan Spieth has ascended, than the fact that simply teeing off in the same threesome is considered an honor. As notoriously fickle as the game of golf might be, it seems impossible to imagine a scenario in which a player of skill won’t challenge consistently at the Masters, despite whatever tricks and tweaks Augusta National may occasionally throw his way. And while he may never replicate the eye-opening grandeur of 2015, winning his first major while also tying a historic record on some of golf’s most hallowed ground, for Spieth, there was also something particularly satisfying about returning as champion, and proving to all in attendance that he hasn’t lost a step.
“One of the coolest moments I’ve ever had here,” he said of the standing ovation he received on Amen Corner, “To see everyone start to rise, it was really cool, to feel like you belong as the Masters Champion… The gallery recognizes that you’ve won here, and that this is a special place to you. That’s what it felt like to me. I thought it was an awesome moment, and then I turned around and saw flipping winds into this tiny green, so that moment was short-lived.”
Ha. Nice try Jordan. But Thursday made it quite clear that it’s going to take more than gusting wind, slick greens, or challenging pin positions, to throw you off your game at Augusta National.
Perhaps they could put in a windmill.
