After his final round, this three-time major champion reflected on Scottie Scheffler — not just as a golfer, but as a person who’s mastered the balance between fame and focus. “He doesn’t care about being a superstar,” Jordan Spieth said. “He’s not transcending the game like Tiger did… He just wants to get away from the game and separate the two.”  Spieth admired how Scheffler has carved out space for family, hobbies, and a life beyond the ropes. “I know that he one time felt it was too much… I don’t know when it happened, but he made that switch…I don’t think anybody’s like him.”

But while Spieth praised Scheffler’s centered mindset, longtime analyst Gary Williams used the moment to reflect on where Spieth stands now — and how far he’s fallen. Speaking on the latest episode of 5 Clubs on YouTube, Williams said, “Ten years ago, Jordan was the guy. He was the golden child. He was dripping with fairy dust, and everything seemed to work out for him.”

Williams was quick to remind viewers that Spieth’s success wasn’t just smoke and mirrors. “He was not just a guy who made a lot of putts,” he said. “He was also an exemplary, next-level ball striker.” And it is true, over the last decade, Jordan Spieth had built one of the most compelling résumés in modern golf. He won three major championships by the age of 24, claimed the FedEx Cup, and played a starring role in multiple Ryder Cups. From 2014 to 2017, he was the face of American golf — the golden child who seemed destined to chase records set by the likes of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

But that version of Spieth, Williams pointed out, is no longer the one showing up on Sundays. “He’s not that currently. We don’t know if he’s going to be that again.” Since lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale in 2017, Spieth has managed just two PGA Tour victories. His once-reliable putter became streaky. His swing, at times, unrecognizable. And despite flashes of form, like his runner-up finish at Augusta in 2021 and a win at the 2022 RBC Heritage, consistency proved elusive.

In the past five years, Spieth recorded only three top-10s across all four majors. At the PGA Championship — the one trophy he needed to complete the career Grand Slam — he never came closer than his T3 finish in 2019. This season, the trend worsened. He missed the cut at Valhalla, finished T23 at the U.S. Open, and settled for T40 at The Open Championship at Royal Troon. And it seems the luck is not going to be on Spieth’s side in the near future as well.

Jordan Spieth’s game is not getting better anytime soon

Just a few weeks ago, Jordan Spieth was confident, healthy, and hoping to peak at the right time. But during the opening round of the Travelers Championship,  the final Signature Event of the season, Spieth was forced to withdraw after 13 holes due to a sudden neck and upper back injury. The 2017 Travelers champion, who was 5-over on the day, had been seen using a muscle massager mid-round and was visibly uncomfortable.

“Everything was great in my gym session,” Spieth said, “and then my right scap just kind of locked… then it was over the left and then everything.” He tried to push through, knowing how important the event was for FedExCup points, but finally gave in when the pain became unmanageable. “I hit my tee shot on 13, and it legitimately really hurt… I wasn’t going to be able to make a backswing that’s even useful,” he explained.

The setback is just the latest chapter in Spieth’s injury-marred comeback. He returned earlier this year from wrist surgery — a decision made after his ECU tendon injury worsened throughout 2023. While he managed a strong finish at the CJ CUP Byron Nelson, his overall form has been shaky. “It’s incredibly frustrating,” he admitted. “I was very confident about this week… it’s just a very weird circumstance.” Even he knows his body isn’t cooperating and his game may not be bouncing back anytime soon.