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Is Jordan Spieth Golf’s Next Super Star?

By Les Bailey

June 16, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Jordan Spieth walks from the tee on the 3rd hole during the third round of the 112th U.S. Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
June 16, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Jordan Spieth walks from the tee on the 3rd hole during the third round of the 112th U.S. Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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It seems like Jordan Spieth has been around forever, and I know he hasn’t, he’s only 19 years old. Spieth has been in the golf news as of late, with his Ace during the first round of the Puerto Rico Open last week. Then there was the sand bunker eagle on Thursday at Copperhead on Thursday. On Friday, he shot a second round -3 under 68 to climb 34 spots in The Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank, and into a tie for 11th with eight players at -2 under par.

GOLF: U.S. Open-Third Round
June 16, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Jordan Spieth walks from the tee on the 3rd hole during the third round of the 112th U.S. Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

The first time we saw him, his high school classmates were out in numbers to cheer him on at the 2010 Byron Nelson Championship. In fact, he had to take a note to school excusing him from classes so he could play golf on Thursday and Friday. Go figure… I can’t imagine asking my teacher for time to play golf back in the 60’s when I was that age.

It was the Byron Nelson’s first amateur exemption since 1995 when they gave two out to Trip Kuehne, and Justin Leonard. Tiger Woods was afforded one in 1993.

Spieth made the 36 hole cut in that tournament, becoming the sixth youngest player to make a cut at a PGA Tour event. He was tied for seventh place after the third round, and finished in a tie for 16th place. He was offered another exemption in 2011 ( he had to take another note to school), and once again made the cut, and finished in a tie for 32nd place.

Jordan is the only golfer, other than Tiger Woods to win the US Junior Amateur multiple times. He was number one in the Polo Golf Rankings before he turned 18 years old. That ranking determines the best Junior Golfer in the US. He finished third in the 2009 Junior PGA Championship. For that effort, the American Junior Golf Association named him the Rolex Junior Player of the Year.

Jordan Spieth was awarded an exemption in the 2012 US Open as an alternate when Brandt Snedeker withdrew at The Olympic Club. He finished as the Low Amateur in a tie for 21st place. That performance gave him the number one position in the World Amateur Golf Rankings after Patrick Cantalay turned professional. Spieth decided to turn pro in December.

You need to keep your eye on this kid from the Dallas Ft. Worth area of North Texas. He has all of the potential to become the next Tiger Woods. He is only 19 years old, and is again making cuts at the top level of golf. He is only going to get better with some age. If  he can finish 14th or better at Tampa Bay, he can earn an exemption on the PGA Tour for the remainder of the 2013 season. He is currently only $100,000 shy.

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