Spieth opens the new year in style with PGA Hyundai win

Jordan Spieth of the USA plays an iron shot down the fairway during the final round of the 2015 Emirates Australian Open Golf in Sydney, Australia, November 29, 2015.

Jordan Spieth speaks to the gallery with the winner’s trophy at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 10, 2016 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. Even as he left the course with a 5-shot lead on Saturday night (a spot he’s now closed with a win on Sunday five straight times), he said he’d have to shoot low in the final round because he knew Reed and Koepka were coming.

“I just think it’s [the comparison] premature, but I’ll probably say that my entire career”, Spieth said after he finished at 30 under, only the second time it has been done in a 72-hole tournament.

Els set his record of 31 under at Kapalua in 2003 with an eight-shot victory.

“It is nice to be in that company anytime you can get into the company of some of the hall of fame players”.

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) – The view from the top looks as spectacular as ever for Jordan Spieth. “It’s fantastic being out here with what we’re trying to do, and doing it well”.

“Brooks shot 10 under today, and that’s insane”, said Spieth.

He has won the last four times he’s had the 54-hole lead, all of them past year.

A stroke further back was Brandt Snedeker (67) and Brooks Koepka (71) at 21 under.

Spieth began the final round six clear of Patrick Reed but his advantage was pegged back to three when Reed birdied the 9th hole.

Reed, the defending champion at Kapalua, moved three shots behind Spieth with a birdie on the par-5 ninth.

After rounds of 66, 64, and 65, Spieth continued his sizzling run of form on Sunday and he kicked off his round with a 35-foot birdie putt at the second before making another birdie at the sixth. “I just needed one thing to go my way there and I got that long putt on 12 (from 50 feet), then all of a sudden we turned things around on the easy holes”.

Patrick Reed did his best to chase down Spieth starting his round with back-to-back birdies. He also finished runner-up at the PGA Championship and fourth at The Open Championship.

Koepka had his best score on the PGA Tour and still shaved only two shots of his deficit, though he at least has one more day.