Spieth produces Tiger-like performance in Tiger’s tournament

TIGER Woods’ tournament produced a Tiger Woods-like performance. Only it didn’t come from the 14-time major winner.

American Jordan Spieth poses with the winner’s trophy after his 10-stroke victory at the Hero World Challenge at the Isleworth Golf & Country Club yesterday.

TIGER Woods’ tournament produced a Tiger Woods-like performance. Only it didn’t come from the 14-time major winner. Instead, a bloke who is yet to win a single major destroyed the field at Isleworth Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Florida.

And here’s the kicker. Afterwards, he credited the Australian Open for providing the inspiration for his performance. Jordan Spieth, fresh from winning the Stonehaven Cup at The Australian Golf Club last week, produced a record-breaking victory at the Hero World Challenge in Orlando, Florida, yesterday.

Spieth finished the tournament at 26-under-par, a whopping 10 shots clear of Swede Henrik Stenson — both the score and the margin of victory set new standards for the event, which is hosted by Woods and benefits his foundation.

Even Woods in his pomp couldn’t muster such dominance. Afterwards, Spieth claimed his trip to Australia had given him the momentum and confidence to decimate the field at the Isleworth Golf and Country Club.

“Last week in Australia was certainly the biggest boost of confidence,” Spieth said.

“Everything in my game was momentum coming off last week. That last round, it felt like I really had things under control. I knew there was a couple of things I had tendencies to do when I wasn’t closing it out. I fixed that.

“In Australia it worked and I continued to do that this week and it worked here. In general, this was the best I ever played, which is what I said in the media centre at Sydney last week. I played better this week.

“Right now (my game) is at its highest level it has ever been. I believe there are things I can do better and I will have to play at this level if not better if I am to win a major championship.”

Spieth fired a course record in the closing round of the Australian Open to win the Stonehaven Cup. Such was his lead heading into the final round yesterday, par would have been enough to secure victory but Spieth was having none of that. He closed with a six-under-par 66. No one got remotely close to threatening his lead, including Australian Jason Day, who also closed with a six- under 66 as he made a successful return from a back injury.

Yesterday’s win moved Spieth into the world’s top 10, although, as he acknowledged afterwards, he has some ground to make up on Rory McIlroy if he wants to claim the No 1 spot.

“In order to take it to the next level and try to win majors, I have to look to Rory,” Spieth said.

“He is the youngest guy, he is the one with the most success and he is No 1 in the world. He is setting the bar and he is the one we’re all chasing.

“I think I did a good job of starting that chase this last couple of weeks but that’s only really the beginning of what needs to happen.

“That’s still a long way off and a lot of work has to be involved in that.”

Asked how much pride he took from contending in three tournaments on three different continents in three weeks — he lost a playoff in Japan prior to his win in Australia — Spieth said: “A lot. It’s been quite a journey. That’s the goal in future. I want to play all over the world.

“I want to experience different places and see how golf has made it’s way into places where it is growing and see how prominent it is in places where it has been for a while.”

Woods, making his return from a back injury, finished in a share of last place with Hunter Mahan.

As for Spieth, Woods was as impressed as everyone else:

“It’s hard to believe he was only in college a couple years ago but he ended up winning out here and he’s doing it again this week.”