An Opening? Competition Can Only Hope Jordan Spieth Will Be Injesting Copious Amounts Of High Fructose Corn Syrup

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Finally, a crack. A chink in the armor? A glimmer of hope? Maybe an opening!

As Jordan Spieth signs a Lebron-like deal to endorse Coca-Cola (Darren Rovell reports), his competitors can only dream of the World No. 1 ingests unhealthy amounts of the performance de-hancing soda following his rounds.

The only bad news?

Spieth says he's already been drinking the stuff for years. And Doug Ferguson Tweeted that a can of the beverage was sitting on the interview table Sunday at Kapalua.

Joell Beall reminds us that this isn't the only famous golfer Coca-Cola has aligned with.

The brand is no stranger to golf. Bobby Jones starred in an advertising campaign for Coca-Cola in 1947, and serves as the presenting sponsor of the Tour Championship.

According to Coca-Cola's web page, "Spieth, who enjoys cracking open an ice-cold Coca-Cola after a long, hot day of practicing in Texas, says some of his favorite Coca-Cola memories are still being made."

They also posted this video-- a 5 on Awkward Scale, with a 10 being "kidnapped by El Chapo"--where Spieth discusses his love of post-golf Coca-Cola drinking in Texas (take that, Dr. Pepper!).

The clip:

Spieth Becomes Second To Post 30-Under In PGA Tour Event

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But go easy on the Tiger comparisons...

Doug Ferguson's game story covers the resounding season-opening win by Jordan Spieth, who beat Patrick Reed by eight strokes. Spieth became only the second player to post a 30-under total or better in a 72-hole event, and tied Woods for most PGA Tour wins by 22.

Spieth won his seventh title in his 77th start as a pro. Woods won his seventh PGA Tour event in his 38th start, and he had 18 wins in his first 77 tournaments.

"Nowhere near," Spieth said on how his record stacks up with Woods. "I don't think there's any reason to compare. It's awfully early. We're excited about where we're at to start our career. What Tiger has done, I can't imagine ever being done."

The breathless nature of the Spieth enthusiasm is mostly warranted, but the Woods comparisons bothered John Strege a bit.

A more appropriate question: Wouldn’t it be better simply to enjoy Spieth for what he is, fresh air in an often fetid sporting world (to wit, the Bengals-Steelers game Saturday night) and a reason to look forward to watching how the story unfolds in a sport too frequently capable of curing insomnia?

The highlights:

 

Kapalua: Some Incredible Jordan Spieth Stats To Ponder

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You know you're doing something right in golf when you're matching Tiger Woods records, and after opening up a 5-stroke lead in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, Jordan Spieth is proving last year was only the beginning of a special career. (Rex Hoggard goes with the Tiger angle here, Brian Wacker noting some player comments that are starting to sound like the hopelessness that Woods instilled in his competition.)

First, the round highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment.
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And the near albatross on 18:


Doug Ferguson reports that Spieth intends to go after the Kapalua/TOC scoring record Sunday and why not considering his -24 start and final round scoring?

Courtesy of the gang at ShotLink who are at their best when working with a mix of history and performance. Spieth if giving them plenty to chew on and they've delivered some eye-openers.


Even more remarkable considering his blew his first four 54-hole leads.

Winners have historically torched the par-5s at Kapalua but a 3.92 scoring average and the other two gems listed below (with a round to go!) borders on the silly, especially since he's not one to overpower par-5s.

And this is impressive at any golf course, but one with greens as big, contoured and difficult as Kapalua? After being for essentially a month?

Spieth Commits To Kapalua For Life (As Long As He's Eligible)

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As long as there is a Tournament Of Champions in Hawaii--somewhat of an if as you know from reading my Forward Press chat with Mark Rolfing--Jordan Spieth will be there every time (assuming he's eligible).

Jay Coffin on the two-time major winner from 2015 speaking to the golf writers in Maui about how his off-season numbers crunching revealing a need to improve his under-120-yard efforts.

And this:

Whether it’s the beginning of a new season or the continuation of an old one, Spieth is at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions looking to finish one spot higher than he did in 2014 when he finished in second place - a shot behind Zach Johnson.

Spieth acknowledged that he was more than a little miffed sitting at home last year watching his buddies playing in a tournament on a beautiful course that he didn’t qualify for.

“This is one that we strive to make each year, and if I am eligible to play in this tournament and I’m not, I hope every single one of you (in the media) calls me and bashes me for it,” he said.

Steve Burkowski's Golf Central report from the day and the entire press conference follows:

“What would have happened if he had two-putted the eighth?”

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End that question with the eighth green at the Old Course and anyone who follows golf closely knows the topic: Jordan Spieth, holder of the green jacket and the U.S. Open trophy, with a chance to win The Open and he inexplicably putts uphill, way past the hole, intp the only spot you can't putt your ball, well off the otherwise benign green.

James Corrigan, in reviewing Spieth's year for the Telegraph, goes back to the same spot that I keep thinking of in remember 2015. Because that putt encapsulates the historic majors season posted by Spieth by reminding us how close he was to winning the first three majors of 2015. But it also reminds us that someday he'll lie awake at night knowing the first three were so within his grasp and yet even the world's best putter could throw in a shockingly average putting week and still miss a playoff by one.

Corrigan writes:

The point is that if Spieth had enjoyed even one of his average putting weeks, he would, by his own reckoning, have become just the second golfer to win the Masters, US Open and Open in the same year and become the first to have the chance to win all four at the USPGA. In the event, he finished second at Whistling Straits behind world No 2 Jason Day, but who knows much how the Claret Jug could have inspired him in that August week?

We could easily have been talking about the greatest season in golf instead of just “one” of the greatest and with the strength in depth in the game we can only wonder when we might witness a player coming so close again; especially a player of his tender years.

Serena!?

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Far be it for me to ever question "The Editors", but it seems they sort of felt compelled to explain how Serena Williams was their Sportsmanperson Of The Year over those who garnered more fan support and buzz.

While Serena's incredible year is in no way to be belittled, Alex Myers notes a few of the reasons that she might not have even been the best tennis player on the planet this year and how here handling of the U.S. Open was less than pretty.

In contrast to Jordan Spieth, who, while only winning a measly two majors handled himself with incredible class in losing the other two majors by a combined four...four strokes.

Then there is American Pharoah, who dominated fan voting with 288,824 fan clicks, and that's for an athlete who never gave an interview in a "dying sport."

As Ray Paulick notes, that's 47%. Spieth came in behind a late closing Stephen Curry (25,546) but well ahead of Serena and her measely 5,520 votes.

Still, as Myers writes:

Spieth had his own claim to the annual award by winning two majors, five tournaments and the FedEx Cup along with its $10 million bonus. And he did it all while being a great sport. Just look at these lasting images from the two majors he didn't win this season. Sticking around after a heartbreaking loss to congratulate Zach Johnson at the Open Championship:

At least Jordan has the Happy Gilmore shot in his bag...

Bamberger's Case For Spieth As Sportsman Of The Year

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Jordan Spieth is lagging at 3% in the voting as American Pharoah has opened up a huge lead over the Kansas City Royals with time running out on Sports Illustrated's Sportsman Of The Year voting.

SI's Michael Bamberger makes his case for Spieth and while the likelihood of swaying The Editors seems unlikely, it was good to read where he places Spieth's historic 2015 campaign.

There were other highlights in a season that will go down as one of the five or 10 best in the (roughly) 150-year history of professional golf. In August, Spieth took solo second at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, near the factory town of Kohler, Wis. In September he won the Tour Championship at East Lake, in Atlanta—the course Bobby Jones grew up playing—and with it the FedEx Cup. In October, at the Presidents Cup in South Korea, he was the buoyant epicenter of the winning team, as the U.S. beat the Internationals by a point.

So, yes, this Jordan Spieth was a big-time big winner in 2015. But the name of the honor under discussion here is Sportsman of the Year. That’s why he’s most deserving.

Spieth Arrives To Defend Down Under, Takes In Sandbelt's Finest

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Just when you think the year is slowing down, there's Jordan Spieth arriving in Australia early to hang out at the Sandbelt courses, work with his instructor and caddie and in general, prepare for 2016. As we discussed on Golf Central, the sense of urgency is impressive.

Mark Hayes with the details of Spieth's early Australian Open prep, and Martin Blake with the best from Spieth's press conference including where he's displayed the Stonehaven Cup.

The relaxed tone of his press conference suggests the 22-year-old is refreshed and rejuvenated from the mini-combine of the last week where he played "bucket list" courses Kingston Heath and Royal Melbourne. Also noteworthy is a new look from Under Armour. Multiple colors! Woohoo!

The full press conference (he talks Sandbelt golf at the 7:30 mark, the importance of the Olympics at 17:30):

Poll: Why Does Spieth's 2015 Get No Respect?

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Posted on what could be the poster-child webpage for pop-up blockers, SI’s Sportsman of the Year voting page shows the Kansas City Royals (34%) still leading American Pharaoh (28%) and Lionel Messi (14%) in third.

Down in the category that would have them relegated to the pre-Republican presidential debates, Steph Curry (3%), Jordan Spieth (3%) and Serena Williams (1%) aren’t getting much love from voters.

The SI Editors ultimately will decide the annual award, and while this is hardly a scientific poll, I find it fascinating that the readers are recognizing the magnitude of American Pharoah’s year despite the decline of horse racing as a popular American sport.  Meanwhile, the Royals just won in impressive fashion and clearly have a strong social media following. But I sense Spieth's place in the polling is the best confirmation yet that the sports viewing public has very little grasp of Spieth’s Masters-U.S. Open win accomplishment, which was made only more remarkable by his near-wins in The Open and the PGA.

My sense is that this could be attributed to a few possible issues.

—Jordan Spieth is not seen as a transformative figure and to casual fans, his chatty on course style is either not appealing or still coming off as whiny to those who don’t watch him a lot.

—Tiger spoiled us. He was a frontrunner most of the time and dominated in his best years in majors, plus he had two seasons and a Tiger slam that all but set the history-grabbing bar too high

—Noise. There are a lot of golf tournaments on a sports calendar that is relentless in scheduling and compelling almost all year. Even though Spieth dominated in the majors, in the ADD world the majors seem like ages ago and only golf fans know that he ended the year with a Tour Championship/FedExCup win. Lost in the noise of oversaturation?

—Golf history is not valued. In an era of parity, a player going 1-1-4-2 in the majors should be seen as an incredible accomplishment but isn’t perhaps because people just don’t respect the sport? Even SI's Spieth-write-up mentioned his regaining of the world No. 1 ranking over his year in the majors, speaking to a level of remarkable ignorance.

—It was great year for Spieth, but it’s just hard to top the first Triple Crown in 37 years + a Breeders Cup Classic, the first horse to accomplish the fete and his name will now be mentioned alongside Secretariat when people talk about the greats.

—Golf fans wanted to vote, but SI’s pop-up ads and confusing page prevented them from voting.

Please vote and share your views based on feedback from talking to sports fans. We will discuss Monday on Morning Drive.

Why does Spieth's epic 2015 get so little respect?
 
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Spieth, Pharaoh Part Of SI's Sportsman Of The Year Final 12

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Richard Deitsch lists the 12 finalists for SI's annual Sportsman of the Year. Unlike some recent years when there was a by-default sensibility, this year has some incredible candidates.

Serena Williams might have gotten my vote if she wins the Grand Slam. But she just missed out so this looks like a two-horse race between American Pharoah and Jordan Spieth. Working against Spieth is that in the eyes of the casual sports fan, he's the early speed in this race. Having dominated golf through July (and then again at East Lake in October), Pharoah wins the Triple Crown in June, wins the Travers, made the trek to Saratoga where he lost (but had nearly 20,000 show up for a training session), then broke a track record by five seconds in a stunning Breeders Cup Classic win his first time against older horses.

Spieth recorded one of the greatest years in the history of golf's modern Grand Slam and the PGA Tour. Had Tiger gone 1-1-4-2 while winning a big pot of cash, he holds on to cross the wire before Pharoah. But given that I've sensed even golf people do not understand the significance of 1-1-4-2, the sports world probably doesn't fully grasp how difficult that feat was to accomplish. Just look at Deitsch's description of Spieth's year:

The 22-year-old Spieth had his coming-out party in 2015, becoming the second youngest golfer to win the Masters and youngest to win the U.S. Open. He recently regained the World No. 1 ranking after a top ten finish at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in China.

Coming out party (2014). World No. 1 ranking regained (everyone on three, oy vey!).

In early voting at SI.com (warning, annoying autoplay video), the Kansas City Royals have a big lead over Pharoah, no doubt fueled by some clever vote campaigning by the Royals marketing department. Meanwhile 59% of the country not in Kansas, Missouri and two other midwest states, are voting for Pharoah:

"Spieth’s talents are those that tend to have a shorter shelf life."

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As the PGA Tour prepares to (inevitably) hand Jordan Spieth the 2015 PGA Tour Player Of The Year Award Friday at 11 am ET, Jaime Diaz reflects on all that Spieth does well.

The conclusion that Spieth's greatest strengths tend to have shorter lifespans is bound to upset his fans, but its hard to disagree.

Diaz writes:

Golf is better for Spieth’s special qualities, but he’s got to be of careful of where they can take him. Unlike power, a strength that makes for tour longevity, Spieth’s talents are those that tend to have a shorter shelf life.

Magical periods of putting among the game’s very best tend not to last beyond a few seasons, as Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson can attest. Even Woods, who made more bombs over a longer stretch than anyone, has seen his putting decline.

Intensity is tricky. Those who burn the hottest tend to burn out the soonest. Curtis Strange won with ferocity, but it aged him prematurely as a player. Johnny Miller, always a close student of the strengths and weaknesses of extraordinary players, noted at the Tour Championship that Speith “is kind of twitchy for a 22 year old.”