So much for all that talk about Jordan Spieth struggling this season.
The number one player in the world crushed the rest of the field at the winners-only Hyundai Tournament of Champions, winning by eight shots. His 72 hole total of 30 under par is only the second time someone shot -30 in a four round tournament. Coincidentally, the only other -30 total was shot by Ernie Els at the same tournament back in 2003.
Spieth entered the final round with a five shot lead and was never seriously challenged during the final.
Spieth, who won the first two majors of 2015, is coming off of a superstar making season. He won five times, and his victory at the Tour Championship secured the FedEx Cup. Many expected Spieth to have a disappointing season, including someone who was in Spieth's shoes just last year - Rory McIlroy.
“It will feel completely different for Jordan,” McIlroy said prior to the start of the season. “If you look at the stats at how those who have had a double-major season have performed the next year… well, it’s hard to back up. It just is. There’s so much expectation, so much attention and focus. And I think it is more self-inflicted pressure really as your expectations are so high."
It was not an unreasonable thing to suggest. It is incredibly hard to back up one major title, never mind two. Most golfers would likely take it easy this season and rest on their newly found success.
Jordan Spieth, however, is not most golfers.
Spieth won by eight shots over defending champion Patrick Reed. Amazingly Reed made only one bogey all week, and that didn't come until the 15th hole on Sunday. He played incredibly well in his defense, especially considering he played with Spieth three out of the four rounds, but his Ryder Cup partner was not going to be stopped this week. This marks the sixth straight top 10 worldwide for Reed dating back to last year, and he is now inside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Finishing one shot further back were Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka. Koepka fired a brilliant third round 63 on Saturday to become Spieth's closest pursuer, but was unable to make a similar run during the final round. Still, the top 5 finish will give the 16th ranked player a boost heading into a Ryder Cup year. This was Koepka's first top 10 on the PGA Tour since the Wyndham Championship. For Snedeker, a high finish is just what the doctor ordered. He entered this week missing his last three starts worldwide, including the Australian PGA, where he began the tournament with a disastrous opening round of 84. Snedeker is on the outside looking in for the Ryder Cup, so he will need a few more tournaments like this one.
Rounding out the top five was Rickie Fowler, who is looking to build off his successful 2015 season where he won three times around the world, including the Players Championship. Fowler's T25 finish at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open is his worst finish in his last seven starts, and he now sits inside the top 5 in the world.
Among the other notables who finished inside the top 10 were three time major champion Padraig Harrington, world number two Jason Day, world number four Bubba Watson, and next week's defending champion Jimmy Walker. Rory McIlroy sat this week out.