Jordan Spieth cruises to eight-shot romp at Tour of Champions

Top-ranked Jordan Spieth won the Tournament of Champions with a 30-under-par score, beating runner-up Patrick Reed by eight strokes in Hawaii. However, he then found his rhythm and birdied five of his last six holes to finish on 20-under.

World golf number one Jordan Spieth. Spieth finished at 30 under par for the tournam…

“The expectations after the Masters past year, definitely more so after the US Open; obviously there were the questions about the grand slam. It worked this week and all parts of the game were firing”. He finished at 30-under 262, joining Ernie Els as the only players in PGA Tour history to finish a 72-hole event at 30 under or lower. Spieth started the day with a four-shot lead and ran off four straight birdies. Els set his record of 31 under at Kapalua in 2003 with an eight-shot win.

That could be one of the perks Sunday.

“I know what he did and what – I just find it hard to believe that it can be matched”. “Michael [Greller, his caddie] said to me on the 18th fairway, “Man, just a way to make a statement”. His pitch rode the grain to 4 feet for par.

Jordan’s 2015 was incredible but on the evidence so far, 2016 could be even better and with Rory, Day, Fowler and Reed etc., all clearly having to step up again, we should be in for some fun this year. He ended the week in a tie for third with Brandt Snedeker.

With his win in the Aloha State, Spieth joined Woods as the only players since World War II to win seven PGA Tour titles before their 23rd birthday. By the time he turned 26, Woods had won 29 times and collected six majors.

“I am nowhere near, I don’t think there’s any reason to compare”, Spieth said. At Kapalua he failed to get up-and-down for par only twice in 12 tries (both times on the par-3 eighth hole), while playing the 16 par 5s in 16 under, best in the field.

The victories keep piling up, and so does the confidence.

While the PGA Tour recognizes Woods’ achievement as its benchmark since its complete records began in 1970, a golfer from an earlier era – when pros competed alongside amateurs – had a statistically better achievement. “When Tiger is in contention, why is his record so phenomenal? But everyone else knew that he could do it and maybe tried to do a bit too much”.

It was the fifth time in the past 13 months Spieth had at least a two-shot lead going into the final round and he was never seriously challenged. “He can close the deal.’ And it just puts a little bit more pressure to be more aggressive and have to do more than maybe you really have to”, Spieth said. “I just think it’s premature but I’ll say that probably my entire career”, Spieth explained. “I knew there were going to be charges (from challengers) on this course, so getting up-and-down on the first hole was huge for me”. It’s not why I do what I do. He had four birdies and three bogeys to start his round to get to -20, but he slowed down after that and lost pace with the lead.

On his performance, he added: “I’m very satisfied”.