Why Jordan Spieth should be especially concerned by his performance at the John Deere Classic
· Yahoo Sports
It’s all falling apart for Jordan Spieth.
It was a promising start to the season for the three-time major winner. He declared himself fully healthy during the offseason and was trending in a positive direction at the PGA Championship.
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At some point this season, every part of his game has looked elite. It was a frustrating watch because there was always something dreadfully wrong, but all he needed to do was string the pieces together, and he’d have been back to his best.
Instead, Spieth went in the opposite direction. All these glaring weaknesses have come to light, and he’s never looked further from returning to his former self. This week’s John Deere Classic, with a weaker field, looked to be his last chance to get into contention this season.
Given how the week has unfolded so far, Spieth should be incredibly concerned about the state of his game.
Photo by Tyler Clouse/Getty ImagesJordan Spieth has putted well despite falling to T60 at the John Deere Classic
Instead of putting himself in the mix to win the John Deere, Spieth was scrapping to make the cut on Friday. He did, on the line, but it’s a terrible look for a player of his former stature in this field.
His recent performances have been attributed to his putting. Spieth lost over a stroke to the field on the greens at the US Open, and lost 0.77 strokes to the field at the Travelers Championship. He’s been testing other putters, but has stuck with his blade for the time being.
But what’s especially concerning about his struggles so far at the John Deere is that his putting has been exceptional. He’s gained over a stroke in the field with his putter through 36 holes.
This time, what’s cost him is his play around the green. He has lost 1.28 strokes with his chipping after two rounds at the John Deere.
Every single week, there’s a new glaring weakness to Spieth’s game. Earlier in the season, there was hope that this meant there would be a week where everything would slot into place, but now it’s clear that he has too many holes in his game.
Every tournament, something will go wrong.
Jordan Spieth should be concerned about his PGA Tour future
Spieth’s inability to compete in this field raises a larger concern for him.
In 2028, the PGA Tour will adopt a new format featuring two tiers. The top tier will feature the best players on the best golf courses, and the second tier will be a pathway to the top. CEO Brian Rolapp made it clear that no matter your star power, no one is safe from relegation.
And by performing like this in the John Deere field, Spieth is showing that he perhaps no longer belongs in the top tier among the best golfers in the world. If he can’t fight for a win this week, then will he be more at home on the second tier?
It sounds blasphemous, but this might be the reality of the Jordan Spieth experience in 2026. Unless he turns his form around, Spieth might be headed to obscurity.