Jordan Spieth needed only to stand at a Shanghai baggage carousel on arrival in China for the latest reminder of how 12 months can shape a sporting storyline. There, he is depicted alongside Rory McIlroy as player turned superhero. Spieth has become accustomed to billboard prominence.
The 22-year-old used what he deems a “spectacular” 2015 to steal McIlroy’s crown. Yet, a year ago he landed in China with only a single professional victory to his name and seeking to somehow pursue McIlroy, who had detached himself from the pack as the finest player in the world.
The intervening months represent a fairytale. Spieth has won eight times worldwide, claimed two majors, lifted the FedEx Cup and collected five awards for individual excellence in one season. McIlroy, in part because of injury, is now the chaser, not only of Spieth but, in a rankings context, Jason Day.
Unsurprisingly, Spieth is not of a mind to tread water. “There are definitely ways I can fine-tune and get better,” he insisted on the eve of the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament. “That is what we try to do every year. That is what we have been able to do each year.
“I can get longer. That is something that I can do in the off season with a combination of swing and what I do in the gym. I have a long break in December and that is what I consider as my time to really make some changes.”
Spieth rebuffs any notion of mending something that is far from broken. “You just try to get very specific with it,” he said. “The more specific you get with it, you find out there are certainly ways you can improve in every single category.
“I can focus a bit more on certain shots. I have already looked at some of the stats from the past year. For example, from 125 to 150 yards out I wasn’t as consistent as where I was inside and outside of that distance, compared to everyone else on Tour, for strokes gained. So there are certain categories that I can improve on and maybe spend a little extra time.”
The American’s unassuming nature gives the impression he could be uncomfortable with his new status. Maturity is the key to his handling of it.
“This is a dream come true for me, it really is,” he said. “To have juniors in China walking with our group for a pro-am, in the pouring rain, it is just something I probably didn’t see even in my wildest dreams.
“But with that also comes responsibility. When you are known and your face is part of the sport, as this year has now made it for myself as well as a few others, there is a responsibility to carry that torch on and off the course.
“We just have to continue to have years like this one and keep it that way. If you don’t play well, you are not going to see yourself in the airport in Shanghai. That’s just not the way it works. It is cool, I have certainly embraced it all but I do completely understand it comes with a responsibility.”
Spieth has learned the value of time away from golf, an inevitable consequence of increased scrutiny. “Just being able to settle down, what kind of impact that has, is significant,” he said. “This past year, I did a better job of conserving energy. Even though I played a lot, I took some more time off and limited my practice at the end of three- or four-week stretches. In 2014, I didn’t rest much. I probably hit too many balls, too many putts late into that season. By the time the FedEx play-offs came I didn’t have enough gas.”
One thing has never changed; the unwilligness to show off trophies. “The US Open trophy and Green Jacket are just sitting in different places in my bedroom,” Spieth said. “It is just that I feel uncomfortable if that stuff is all out in the open. I don’t know why, I just do. I have always been that way.
“It’s not like I am searching to go back to normality by any means, I feel like it’s maybe just how I am. When you achieve those goals and have those trophies in your possession, that’s what is important to me. Not showing to other people; they already know that I won.
“What good does it do to have my friends over and just flaunt it in their face? I just keep things in my room and go for the next one.”
The reference point of this week in 2014 makes Spieth smile. “If I can sit here next time in the same position as what happened in the last 365 days, I will certainly be pleased. I don’t remember there being anything specific here that sparked it. It was another solid week but not anything spectacular.”
Ah, that “s” word again. It is testimony to his astonishing progress that anything less from this brilliant young Texan raises eyebrows.
WGC-HSBC Champions, Shangahi, selected tee times (GMT)
1.45am Bubba Watson (US), Jordan Spieth (US), Henrik Stenson (Swe)
2.45am Rickie Fowler (US), Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (US)
