By Paul Meyers
The accomplishments of young Jordan Spieth are simply hard to believe. At just 22 years old, he is already the owner of two major championships and is the second ranked golfer in the world. While it is never fair to compare a player so young to all-time greats like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, Spieth has certainly had a start to his career that would indicate he has the talent to be in that class. He nearly captured the third leg of the grand slam at St. Andrews where he fell just short of a playoff, and he will be the easy favorite as the golf world turns its attention to the PGA Championship to finish up the majors for the year.
So will Jordan Spieth be able to capture his third major title of the 2015 season when all is said and done at Whistling Straits? It would certainly be a mistake to bet against him. Of course, he didn’t play in the PGA Championship the last time it was held at this venue in 2010 – because he was just 17 years old at the time. Surprisingly, Spieth has yet to make a cut in the PGA Championship in two starts, missing in both 2013 and 2014. However, that track record would seem to mean nothing at this point, as Spieth will be more concerned about capturing the trophy than just making the weekend.
Confidence to Burn
There is a confidence about Jordan Spieth on the golf course that is simply remarkable for a player of his age. Even when he isn’t playing his best, Spieth is able to push aside any doubts or fears and execute great shots and great putts when it matters most. His win at the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay is a perfect example of this ability. When it looked like the tournament was in his hands, he shockingly double bogeyed the 17th hole on Sunday afternoon. Such a mistake would shake most players, but not Spieth – he simply knocked the ball on the green on the par five 18th in two shots, and then two putted for a birdie that would eventually win him the title. With experiences like that in his recent memory, it is a good bet that Spieth will come up with the goods on the final holes if he is able to get into contention.
Pursuit of the Number One Ranking
As if there wasn’t enough motivation for Jordan Spieth to battle for the last major of the year, he will have the opportunity to snag the world number one ranking away from Rory McIlroy. Achieving the top ranking is a dream for any professional golfer, let alone one so young. Since Spieth will be playing alongside Rory for the first two rounds of the event, there will be no escaping the thought of that top ranking as the two (along with Zach Johnson) make their way around Whistling Straits. Jordan Spieth is already a star in the world of golf, but taking home his third major of 2015 will secure this as one of the greatest seasons in the history of the sport.