I’m one of the few who actually likes watching golf on television, at least when it’s a major. It offers a lot of interesting psychology and body language, especially when the ball misses a cup or finds its way into a hazard. I happened to see some of yesterday’s Master’s Tournament when the leaders were working their way through the back nine. Jordan Spieth, who not only won the tournament but also tied Tiger Woods’ 1997 course record and set a new record for youngest champion. Spieth led the tournament throughout, and the question on Sunday, of course, was whether he would hold up under the pressure. History is full of young players who carried a major tournament lead into Sunday and lost it–sometimes on the last few holes–with a case of the yips. Spieth had a couple of errant shots, but he recovered nicely and was never in significant trouble. I had not realized that he actually led last year’s Masters on the final day but faded down the stretch. It made me admire his success all the more; there’s nothing that breeds failure like prior experience.
Though Spieth will now be mentioned with Woods in many conversations in the next few weeks, he differs from Woods, and probably most PGA golfers, in one important way: he avoids all profanity while on the course. Given the frustrating nature of golf, that may be his most impressive achievement of all.
