Despite his shining performance at the WM Phoenix Open that resulted in a tie for fourth, Jordan Spieth’s return to form post-injury is proving to be a bumpy road. As a three-time major champion, Spieth’s game has been under intense scrutiny after his comeback from a troublesome wrist injury, which seemingly altered his playing style.
The 31-year-old golfer demonstrated an impressive performance at TPC Scottsdale, sparking hopes of a return to his glory days. However, Spieth’s subsequent performance suggests that his success at Scottsdale may be more attributable to past successes at the tournament.
Spieth’s top 10 finish at the Cognizant Classic certainly turned heads. Yet, his performance took a nosedive at the Genesis Invitational and the Players Championship, where he missed the cut and finished 59th respectively.
Spieth’s record at TPC Sawgrass has never been particularly impressive. Nevertheless, the hope was that his surgery last year would turn the tide for the 2015 Masters champion. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case.
Golf Channel’s Paige MacKenzie expressed her surprise at Spieth’s recent performance, particularly at the Players Championship. While acknowledging the positive aspects of Spieth’s comeback, she expressed concern about one particular part of his game.
MacKenzie noted an improvement in Spieth’s ball-striking early in the season, correlating with more greens in regulation. However, she highlighted a troubling trend since the WM Phoenix Open: a reversion to negative strokes gained approach, similar to his performance in 2024.
Spieth’s performance this season has been inconsistent. Despite some solid driving, his iron play has not shown the same improvement. This inconsistency is reflected in his ranking on the PGA Tour, where he is currently 39th off the tee, 33rd around the green, but a concerning 132nd in approach.
On a brighter note, Spieth has previously won the Valspar Championship and his first major at the Masters shortly after in 2015. Augusta National, the venue for the Masters, has been the site of some of Spieth’s greatest moments with six top five finishes over the years.
So, while his return to form may be more of a marathon than a sprint, it is still early in the season. The hope remains that Spieth’s turning point is just around the corner, and we may yet see the champion golfer back in his stride.