Fans have witnessed thrilling close finishes at all of this year’s major golf tournaments. And each time, they’ve seen Jordan Spieth’s name among the leaders. In April, Spieth set the record for the most birdies during the Masters by making 28 and became the second-youngest person to win the green jacket.
In June, Spieth became only the sixth player ever to win the Masters and the U.S. Open back-to-back, and the first since Tiger Woods in 2002.
In July, Zach Johnson beat Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a 4-hole playoff to win the Open Championship at St. Andrews for his second major. Spieth finished tied fourth and was just one stroke out of a playoff.
And on Sunday, Australian Jason Day won his first major tournament at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, scoring a record 20 strokes under par.
Despite Spieth finishing second behind Day, he passed Rory McIlroy as the no. 1 golfer in the world. He is 22 years old, while McIlroy is still in his prime at age 26.
With two major championships in 2015 and his other two finishes in the top four, it is accurate to say that Spieth has had the best year of any professional golfer currently on the PGA tour. He is absolutely deserving of this no. 1 ranking. The only other recent results that compare to Spieth’s were when Woods won three majors in 2000. Spieth came so close to a major sweep, and no golfer has ever won all four in the same year.
"That will never be taken away from me now," Spieth said afterward. "I'll always be a No. 1 player in the world."
There were five scenarios by which Spieth could become the top-ranked player for the first time, including one in which he finished second alone and McIlroy finished worse than sixth.
He added, "It's an incredible honor."
McIlroy, who finished in 17th place at the PGA Championship, has not had a great year. It was his first tournament since suffering an ankle injury on July 4 that kept him out of three events. He will have plenty of chances, however, to bounce back in the coming months to overtake Spieth.
Looking ahead, this is an exciting time for golf fans in the coming months but also for several years down the road. Spieth and McIlroy will likely continue to compete for major championships for the next decade. With 27-year-old Day also rising to the top, the golf race is sure to draw people’s attention on Sunday afternoons.
The major tournaments have concluded for the year, but four FedEx Cup playoff events start in two weeks. Spieth's reign at the top of the world ranking may be short-lived, as both McIlroy and Day are within striking distance of him. A good September performance for either player could see Spieth's seat atop the rankings end quickly. Nevertheless, it has been a thrill to watch Spieth play golf this year. Right now, everyone is chasing him.
With Spieth, Day and McIlroy likely to contend for every major championship, the competition will excite more than just the avid golfers. Even casual golf fans should be excited for the future of professional golf and the close, dramatic endings that each tournament could bring.
