Jordan Spieth got to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the PGA Championship, and then he lost his spot to Jason Day two weeks later. Spieth, however, ended 2015 atop the ranking and, with a five-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, appears poised to widen the gap between himself, Day, Rory McIlroy and the rest of the golf world.
Now that it seems Spieth might be at No. 1 for a while, the 22-year-old suggested it might be time to pick the brains of his peers, including Tiger Woods and McIlroy, as well Phil Mickelson, who has never held the No. 1 spot in his career but had been a mainstay in the top-10 for the better part of 20 years.
“I think it would be wise to ask more questions than I do,” Spieth said,according to Golf Channel.
“I haven’t received a whole lot of advice on staying there, other than keep on trying to win tournaments. I mean, the more you win the higher up in the rankings you’re going to stay.”
However, Spieth, a player who tees it up more often, at least at this stage of his career, than past No. 1 players, also wants to figure this out for himself.
“I’m trying to figure some of that out on my own because everyone is different," he said. "But I do think there is something in asking someone like Tiger a lot of questions on how he’s been able to do it.”
Tiger Woods can't play golf after two back procedures in as many months, but Bluejack National, Woods' first U.S. course as a designer, opened for play on Thursday.
Only seven holes were unveiled, when nearly 100 members took to the course. The full layout is expected be ready by early 2016.
The course is in Montgomery, Texas, near Houston.
"For this day to finally come is very exciting," said Bryon Bell, president of Tiger Woods Design, via Golf.com. "It's really important for this course to finally be open, and the real payoff is to hear the members talking positively about it."
Woods worked on the layout design with former Tom Fazio associate Beau Welling.
"Sometimes architects give lip service to a playable, walkable course, but that's what we did here," Welling said. "We want people to enjoy the game and walk the course and that is what is happening. People said golf takes too long, but if it's fun, people will do it for a long time."
The official opening to members was Thursday, but former President George W. Bush got to play a special Monday preview round. Busch was accompanied by friend and land developer Michael Abbott. They played the seven-hole loop in 40 minutes, according to Golf.com.
Tiger Woods may not be able to play golf following two back procedures in as many months, but Bluejack National, Woods' first course as a designer to debut in the U.S., opened for play on Thursday.
Only seven holes were unveiled Thursday, when nearly 100 members took to the course. But the full layout is expected be ready by early 2016.
“For this day to finally come is very exciting,” said Bryon Bell, President of Tiger Woods Design, via Golf.com. “It’s really important for this course to finally be open, and the real payoff is to hear the members talking positively about it.”
Woods, who wasn't able to attend the opening because of his back, worked on the layout design with former Tom Fazio associate Beau Welling.
“Sometimes architects give lip service to a playable, walkable course, but that’s what we did here,” Welling said. “We want people to enjoy the game and walk the course and that is what is happening. People said golf takes too long, but if it’s fun, people will do it for a long time.”
The official opening to members was Thursday, but a familiar face got to play a special Monday preview round. That player was former President George W. Bush, who played with his good friend and land developer Michael Abbott. Bush and Abbott played the seven-hole loop in 40 minutes, according to Golf.com.
Dubai is known for its obscene displays of wealth, and the tradition is continuing with the new Bugatti-inspired houses from DAMAC Properties.
Starting at a very reasonable 35 million Dirham (that’s just $9.5 million USD!), the homes - er, excuse me, villas - “are conceptualized by the designers of the world’s fastest street-legal production car, the iconic 1,200hp Bugatti Veyron and stylishly reflect its distinctive curved front,” according to the press release.
The DAMAC release goes on to say, “The design also includes an indoor vehicle display area, with glass panels through to the living quarters, so you can admire your car from the comfort of your sofa.” You know, so you can look at your Bugatti in your Bugatti house.
In case Bugatti-ception isn’t luxurious for you, the villa is situated on a golf course designed by Tiger Woods and adjacent to “the region’s first Rainforest,” because apparently if you’re rich enough, you can put a Bugatti house in the rainforest in a desert.
It’s unclear how many horsepower the house will have, but we do know someone who might be interested in buying it.
As was expected, Tiger Woods is officially committed to the Frys.com Open as of Friday. This will be his first tournament of the 2015-16 PGA Tour season. Woods' name was listed on the Frys.com Open website player list.
Why is Woods playing the Frys.com Open?
Well, it has to do with a trip he made to Turkey a few years back for a cash grab and a side agreement that he would play this tournament at some point in the future.
The future is here and Woods will join Rory McIlroy and others in the middle of October for what will be an abnormally huge tournament in the middle of football season.
Jordan Spieth won the first two majors of the year and narrowly failed to make it three, but how does his performance in 2015 stack up to the record-breaking Tiger Woods campaign of 2000?
Masters
Woods arrived at Augusta on the back of three wins and three runner-up placings in seven starts, but he endured a torrid first round as he posted a 75 including two double-bogeys. He struggled again on day two and looked in danger of missing the cut - a 72 getting him into the weekend with nothing to spare, and nine shots behind leader David Duval. Woods rallied with a best-of-the-day 68 on Saturday, but a six-shot deficit was too much to make up as he could only match the final-round 69 of impressive victor Vijay Singh.
Things didn't go to plan for Tiger in the 2000 Masters
Spieth set the pulses racing with a stunning, opening 64 that was a remarkable three shots better than anybody else, and the young Texan followed up one superb round with another as a flawless 66 extended his lead to five shots. His 36-hole score of 130 set a new Masters record, tied the major championship best, and his five-stroke lead also equalled the tournament record. Spieth set a new Masters benchmark for the 54-hole score at 200, and another 70 on the final-day completed a four-shot win and matched Woods' 1997 Masters record of 18 under par, although he missed a five-foot par putt on the last to miss out on the outright best. The first wire-to-wire winner since Ray Floyd in 1976 also became the first player in Masters history to reach 19 under when he birdied 15, while his 28 birdies over the week set another record, beating Phil Mickelson's previous mark by three.
Spieth slips on the Green Jacket after his record-breaking Masters win
US Open
Woods produced arguably the finest performance of his career at Pebble Beach, blitzing the field by a remarkable 15 shots and breaking several records in the process. He was in a class of his own throughout the tournament, opening with rounds of 65 and 69 to open up a six-shot lead at the halfway stage. Despite an early triple-bogey in round three, Woods salvaged a 71 in brutal conditions - only Ernie Els broke par - and set a new 54-hole record with his 10-shot lead. The final round was a procession as Woods closed with a flawless 67 to finish on 12 under - the first double-digit winning score in US Open history. His aggregate of 272 tied the tournament record, which was previously set on par-70 courses, and his 15-shot win remains a major championship benchmark that may never be surpassed.
Woods was in a class of his own at Pebble Beach, winning by a remarkable 15 shots
Spieth found himself tied for the lead at the halfway stage at Chambers Bay after rounds of 68 and 67 got him to five under with Patrick Reed, who faded on day three as Spieth's steady 71 retained a share at the top with Jason Day, Branden Grace and Dustin Johnson. Spieth suddenly found himself three clear of the field after a birdie at 16, but he opened the door when he double-bogeyed the next. He hit the par-five 18th in two and two-putted for birdie, but Johnson birdied 17 and knocked his second to 12 feet at the last. Johnson's putt for the win scuttled four feet past, and he missed the return to gift Spieth his second straight major.
Spieth lifts the US Open trophy following Dustin Johnson's last hole mishap
Open Championship
More records tumbled as Woods became the fifth player in history, and the youngest, to complete the career grand slam of all four majors - appropriately at the Home of Golf. A second round 66 earned him a three-shot lead at halfway and he never looked like buckling over the weekend. A 67 on Saturday doubled his lead, and a rock-solid closing 69 completed a comprehensive eight-shot victory. His winning score of 19 under remains a record for any major championship.
Tiger Woods moved half way towards the 'Tiger Slam' with an emphatic eight-shot win at St Andrews
The one that got away from Spieth this year as he finished just a shot out of the eventual three-man play-off at St Andrews, won by Zach Johnson. Spieth began with a confident 67, but he struggled to combat the blustery conditions during a second round that took two days to complete and returned a 72 that left him five behind leader Dustin Johnson. But he bounced back with a sparkling 66 that got him within one of the lead heading to the last day, and a birdie at 16 lifted him into a share of the lead. However, he failed to save par from 10 feet at the treacherous Road Hole and was unable to find the birdie he needed at the last to get into the play-off.
Spieth battled the elements at the Old Course and came up one short of a place in a play-off
PGA Championship
Woods made it three majors in a row, but unlike his dominant performances in the previous two, he was pushed all the way by American journeyman Bob May before prevailing in a play-off at Valhalla. Woods and Scott Dunlap jostled for the lead over the first two rounds, with the holder earning a one-shot halfway advantage after adding a 67 to his opening 66. Woods remained one clear after a third round 70 as May surged into contention with a second straight 66, and he made it three on the bounce to pile the pressure on the favourite. But Woods got up and down from sand at the last to tie, and a birdie and two pars in the three-hole play-off proved enough to retain his crown.
Tiger Woods held off a valiant challenge from Bob May at Valhalla
Another near-miss for Spieth, who replaced Rory McIlroy as world No 1 despite falling short in his bid to become only the third player in the modern era to win three majors in a calendar year. An uncharacteristically average day with the putter saw Spieth open with a 71, before moving up the leaderboard with a much-improved 67. Spieth went in to the weekend five shots off the pace, but birdied six of his final eight holes to close a bogey-free 65 and move within two of Day. Playing in the final pairing, Spieth was unable to gain any serious ground on the Australian as Day closed out a convincing three-shot victory.
Spieth couldn't prevent Jason Day claim a maiden major title.
Davis Love becomes the third oldest winner in PGA history after fourth round of 64
The wheels came off Tiger Woods’ Wyndham Championship challenge in the final round at Greenboro
Davis Loveshot a superb final-round six-under 64 to become the third oldest winner in PGA Tour history at the Wyndham Championship.
The 51-year-old finished on 17 under par — one shot clear ofJason Gore— to win the event for the third time as Tiger Woods’ challenge fell away after a triple-bogey seven at the 11th hole.
The former world number one also bogeyed the next but recovered with four birdies to card a level-par round of 70 and finished four shots adrift of Love on 13 under.
Love, however, did not make the best of starts as he bogeyed the opening hole but responded to that disappointment in the best possible fashion with birdies at the next three holes.
He then sunk an eagle three at the par-five fifth before following up with yet another birdie.
He dropped his second shot of the day the seventh to turn in 31 and an eagle at the 15th was enough to keep him out in front.
Woods, who failed to qualify for the FedExCup play-offs with his tied for 10th-place finish, made a solid start, turning in a level-par 35 after one bogey and a birdie.
But disaster then struck with that triple bogey at 11th and another dropped shot at the next and, although he turned things around, the damage had already been done.
Overnight leader Gore birdied the fourth before dropped shots at the 13th and 14th appeared to end his bid for victory but an eagle at the 15th gave him hope.
He had a long putt for birdie on the 18th to force a play-off but could not convert the opportunity and Davis held on for victory.
“Any victory now is going to be really sweet when you’re over 50,” Love told pgatour.com.
He trails only Sam Snead, who won his last Greensboro title when aged 52 in 1965, and Art Wall on the PGA Tour’s age list.
“To have your name thrown out there with Sam Snead at any point is incredible,” Love added. “For some reason, this tournament has been good to guys in my age group.”
Woods, meanwhile, had appeared poised to challenge on Sunday morning but ultimately his round of 70 meant he fell well outside of the cut-off point of 125 he needed to reach to qualify for the FedExCup play-offs.
“I gave myself a chance, and I had all the opportunity in the world today to do it,” Woods said. “I didn’t get it done.
“I just wasn’t able to get any kind of roll early. I had my chances to get it going. I just never did.”
