Jordan Spieth takes seventh PGA Tour title with romp in Hawaii

“Just have to stay at it and keep grinding and turn these second, third, fourth, fifth place finishes into Ws”, he said.

Stone was in tears after completing the victory at golf’s second oldest national open after the British Open.

Reed, who led the way after the first round, had five birdies and a bogey to close out proceedings.

Lee found himself in a similar situation in the second round when he bounced back from bogeys on the opening two holes.

Highly-rated in the unpaid ranks, Stone, who was beaten by Fifer Brian Soutar in the final of the South African Amateur Championship back in 2012, went to the same University of Texas as Spieth and, like him, he also opted to come out of the scholarship after just one year to pursue his professional ambitions. He is 40/1 to win three Majors this year and 150/1 for a clean sweep.

It was a sixth tour win in the last 21 outings for Spieth but he is keen to play down any comparisons to Woods, saying: “I am nowhere near, I don’t think there’s any reason to compare, it is awfully early”. And only David Duval has won on this course by a larger margin, claiming the first Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in 1999 by nine shots. “He’s not going to shoot over par, especially the way he’s playing now”. Reed, trying to join Stuart Appleby and Geoff Ogilvy as the only repeat winners at Kapalua, opened with three birdies in five holes and went out in 32.

“I am no where near him”. It could nearly be felt in the air as Tiger Woods’ playing partner psyched himself out before Woods even hit his first shot.

Patrick Reed did his best to chase down Spieth starting his round with back-to-back birdies.

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

What Have We Learned For Next Year? Snedeker is on the outside looking in for the Ryder Cup, so he will need a few more tournaments like this one.

If we return to Glendower, we may not know what to expect. The Nets had made the playoffs every year since relocating for the 2012-13 season, but they are 10-27, better only than the league-worst Philadelphia 76ers.

Now, Jordan Spieth is starting to have the same effect on his peers.

Spieth acknowledges a technical deficit to McIlroy on the tee that can never be erased, but that is of no outcome if you lead the “shots gained putting” stats on tour. “But, boy, it would be hard to believe I could be compared to him the entire course of a career”. Well, sure, he played the best golf and he was the strongest mentally.

DAVID DUVAL IN 1999: Duval won four times – once in each season – in 1998, captured the money title and the Vardon Trophy and would have won PGA Tour player of the year except for Mark O’Meara winning two majors.

Nonetheless, Spieth is aware it takes more than one phenomenal year to retain those Woods comparisons.