By Paul Myers
In the world of golf, 2016 is already looking an awful lot like 2015. With the first PGA Tour event of the calendar year in the books, Jordan Spieth has placed his name right back at the forefront of the conversation. Spieth posted an incredible 30 under par score over the Plantation Course at Kapalua, good for a whopping eight shot victory. Despite playing against a field comprised exclusively of PGA Tour winners from 2015, Spieth was still able to distance himself from the pack. If this past week is any indication of things to come, 2016 could be the year that Jordan Spieth firmly stakes his claim to the title of the best golfer in the world.
Throughout his young career, Jordan Spieth has become well-known for his incredible prowess on the greens, and his putter certainly shined once again this week. However, his balls striking was just as impressive, coming together with the putter to create a force that was simply unstoppable. Patrick Reed played outstanding golf to shoot 22 under for the four round event, and yet even that score was unable to threaten Spieth on Sunday. The Masters is still a full three months away, yet there is a clear favorite when the world’s best finally return to Augusta National. Spieth is the defending champion at Augusta, and he will certainly be the one to beat when April rolls around.
Other Notable Players
In a field of all winners from the previous season, there is no lack of star power to observe, even at this early stage in the season. PGA Champion Jason Day finished the week strong after a slow start, posting a 65 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 10th. He was tied with another former major winner, Bubba Watson, who posted a final round 67 to rebound from a Saturday 73. Dustin Johnson, who doesn’t yet have a major title but has been oh-so-close, also tied for 10th. Padraig Harrington had a solid week with a 17 under par score and a tie for sixth, as did Rickie Fowler, who shot 20 under and finished solo fifth.
Looking Ahead
The PGA Tour changes islands and heads to Honolulu for the Sony Open in Hawaii. This event will be missing some of the stars that competed at Kapalua, but it will still have an excellent field which will compete on the classic Waialae CC layout. Jimmy Walker is the defending champion in Honolulu, and other big names such as Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker, Adam Scott, and Zach Johnson will all be vying for the title. Once the Sony Open in Hawaii has wrapped up, the Tour will head back to the mainland with upcoming events at famous locations such as Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, and TPC Scottsdale.