Eleven PGA Tour wins. Three majors. Almost $40 million in career earnings. Sounds like a hall of fame career, right? Actually, those are Jordan Spieth’s totals and he did it all at an impressively young age! In honor of the Champion Golfer of the Year’s 26th birthday, here’s a look at 10 of his most clutch shots which led to victory in his young career.
2017 Open Championship
Jordan won the third leg of the career grand slam at the 2017 Open Championship, but it was the way in which he did it that was so impressive. After one of the most incredible bogey saves of all time when he missed his drive 100 yards to the right and then took a drop on the driving range, Spieth caught fire going an unprecedented 5-under in his last five holes. But it was the 48-foot roller coaster eagle putt on the par-5 15th, where he pointed at his caddie and told him to “go get that” out of the hole, which gave him the lead for good on his way to claiming his first Claret Jug
2013 John Deere Classic
Jordan Spieth won his first PGA Tour event at the ripe age of 19 at the 2013 John Deere Classic. As a sign of things to come, he did it in dramatic fashion holing this clutch bunker shot for birdie on the 72nd hole to get into a playoff, which he won on the fifth hole of sudden-death. Spieth became the fourth youngest PGA Tour winner and the first teenager to do so since Ralph Guldahl won the Santa Monica Open in 1931.
2017 Travelers Championship
Jordan won his 10th PGA Tour event at the 2017 Travelers Championship in typical Spieth fashion: another bunker hole out! Facing Daniel Berger in a sudden-death playoff, Spieth’s approach found the front bunker on the 18th hole at TPC River Highlands. What came next was pandemonium. Spieth dug in and splashed it out perfectly holing out for the winning three and sparking a celebration for the ages with his caddie Michael Greller.
2015 U.S. Open
Fresh off of his record setting Masters performance, Spieth was back at it again this time at the 2015 U.S. Open held at Chambers Bay. During a week when player complaints about the conditions of the greens were an all-time high, Spieth went about his business and made clutch putt after clutch putt including this 26-footer he rolled in for birdie en route to one shot win over Dustin Johnson.
2016 Hyundai Tournament of Champions
Jordan Spieth began his 2016 campaign with another convincing eight-shot win at the season opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions where he reached 30-under par. These kinds of shots help. During the third round, Spieth hit this 250-yard approach on the par-5 18th narrowly missing an albatross. He settled for a 9-footer for eagle instead.
2015 Masters
Spieth won his first major at the 2015 Masters in record setting fashion including breaking the total for most birdies (28) and tying Tiger Woods’ mark of 18-under. Leading the tournament by several shots, the confident 21-year-old put it all on the line when he went for the green on the famous par-5 13th. The bold play rewarded him with a tap-in birdie on his way to his historic victory.
2016 Dean & DeLuca Invitational
Jordan is a wizard around the green and he showed off some of his magic when he won at the 2016 Dean & DeLuca Invitational. After sending his approach long on the 17th hole, Spieth had a difficult pitch off a bare lie that he managed to clip perfectly holing it out for the unlikely birdie. The shot extended his lead on the way to his eighth win on Tour.
2015 John Deere Classic
Spieth won his second John Deere Classic in 2015 thanks in part to shots like this. During the third round, Jordan hit a wedge from 106 yards which he didn’t appear to be too pleased with at first, however it worked out just fine. He landed it right over the top of the flag and it zipped back in for the eagle two. Spieth ended up winning in a sudden death playoff.
2015 Valspar Championship
Another playoff, another victory. Jordan won the 2015 Valspar Championship on the third sudden-death playoff hole with this 28-foot putt giving him the second win of his young PGA Tour career.
2016 Dean & DeLuca Invitational
Spieth captured his eighth PGA Tour win at the 2016 Dean & DeLuca Invitational. Needing three putts for the win, Spieth went ahead and drained this 34-footer on the 72nd-hole leaving everybody, including Jim Nantz and Nik Faldo in utter disbelief. “The joys of ‘I cannot miss,'” Faldo said afterward on air.
