It's one of the more interesting discussions engendered by the Masters: Is Jordan Spieth the "next big thing" or will he struggle the way Sergio has?
I thought it was a bit strange that Jordan took so much flack for his emotional outbursts during the final round Sunday. Some people were apparently very offended because Jordan had a few minor "displays" when everything went wrong for him. I couldn't help but wonder why other players (Tiger comes to mind) don't get the same treatment when they drop the F-bomb -- very loudly -- because they had a bad lie in a bunker. And as I recall, Henrik Stenson's little tantrum during the FedExCup Playoffs last year was actually considered comical. Remember this one?
Or how approximately Rory's much less violent but similarly damaging wedge bending in 2013? "Grownups" do this all of the time, but for some cause Jordan's alternatively confined tantrum is unacceptable. Sounds like a double general to me...
But possibly this is a part of what in the beginning spawned the question. I first heard it when Frank Nobilo delivered it up on GC's aftergame show.
And I suppose it's a fair question, given the expectations being heaped on Spieth so early in his career. You can certainly draw parallels between Jordan's performance at the Masters with Sergio's 1999 PGA performance at Medinah. The comparisons are equally glowing, as you can tell from this golf.com article reprinted from the Aug. 23, 1999 issue of Sports Illustrated. Sergio could do no wrong back then.
The query is, what occurs if Jordan suffers Sergio's fate and that first major does not come fast? Isn't it feasible -- even likely -- that Jordan's rosy destiny may additionally get derailed?
Yes, it is feasible... But I do assume there is one fundamental distinction this is now not being taken into consideration here. It's the very cause for this debate. Let's name it "the Tiger Effect."
At the time of his PGA win, the Tiger legend turned into nonetheless in its infancy. He had received lots however the PGA was handiest his second primary and he hadn't even gained his first WGC yet. (That occurred a month and a half later.) The PGA turned into his 11th win in kind of 4 years, and he turned into just halfway through the primary of those years with eight wins. As astonishing as he had been, we nevertheless hadn't visible Tiger in complete flight.
And without a doubt 19-year-old Sergio had in no way seen, possibly even imagined how a player could be so dominant. The full Tiger Effect demoralized maximum Tour veterans and destroyed some greater, let alone an impressionable young participant seeking to reproduction his idol Seve.
But now, 15 years later, youngsters like Jordan Spieth have grown up with the Tiger Effect. They've grown up with weight training and sports psychologists and media advisors... And million dollar winner's checks and multimillion dollar endorsement deals.
Consider this: Tiger's 12-tournament maiden season of 1996 (which included 2 wins and 4 other Top5s, plus an extra Skins Game appearance) netted him a mere $790,594. By comparison Tom Lehman, that year's money list winner, played 25 events (plus 3 unofficial) and won 2 tournaments including the Open Championship plus 7 Top5s. He took home $1,780,159.
My point is that young Jordan's global is plenty one of a kind from that of younger Sergio. Jordan's expectations have been fashioned with the aid of the superhuman performances of one Eldrick Tiger Woods. He is aware of what's feasible... And, by way of extension, how devastating failure may be. He's been getting ready for both. It seems a little na?Ve to assume that Jordan is probable to react the identical manner to adversity as Sergio did.
The "brave new world," the "paradigm shift" that Sergio faced is simply the "manner things are" for Jordan. So at the same time as I suppose Jordan's profession should become being a bust... I positive would not bet on it.
By the way, this 12 months's Open Championship will be at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, wherein Tiger gained in 2006. He most effective used approximately 4 drivers all week; he simply strategized his way around. Jordan's pretty desirable with strategy. Just a head's-up...
The photo came from CBSsports.Com.
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