CNN
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It’s one among sport’s most unfamiliar sights – Tiger Woods standing idly by as his opponents are topped winners.
Alongside Rory McIlroy, Woods had simply fallen to an emphatic defeat within the seventh version of The Match to golf’s dynamic duo and long-time mates – Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
Cross-armed, the 15-time main winner watched on because the victorious pair had been offered with commemorative bracelets. All night time on December 10, trash speak had rained down like bullets below the lights at Florida’s Pelican Membership, however Spieth had one left within the chamber.
“The enjoyment out of getting this doesn’t match the enjoyment of standing right here with Tiger simply being so upset that he has to face right here for this,” a laughing Spieth jabbed.
Woods’ composed expression cracked, a large smile breaking out throughout the 46-year-old’s face adopted by a shake of the top.
Woods alone boasted six extra majors and 31 extra PGA titles than the three greats of the sport beside him mixed, a mind-blowing disparity that Spieth was nicely conscious of. But, it was this very hole that made the ultimate blow that rather more satisfying, the Dallas-born golfer defined.
“He’s able that he doesn’t even must justify combating again,” Spieth informed CNN.
“He laughs, he’s pissed off. He’s just about like, ‘All proper, go residence child.’ That’s what I bought out of that smile.
“And for me, it was sarcasm. He’s a man who you by no means take into consideration seeing stick round and have to take a seat there whereas any person else received. As a result of one, he didn’t lose fairly often, and two, the few occasions he did, I’m certain he was very far-off from wherever the award ceremony was.”
As is customized, the back-and-forth between the mic’d up gamers and the commentary crew helped drive the pleasant aggressive ambiance of the occasion, which raised funds for reduction efforts in Florida within the wake of Hurricane Ian in October.
At occasions, the relentless verbal warfare waged between Thomas and NBA legend Charles Barkley took middle stage over the golf itself, a task reversal that Spieth had initially been anxious to tackle.
“I used to be tremendous nervous to get going as a result of it was a brand new function – we needed to entertain,” Spieth admitted.
“It was sort of an excited anxiousness, like tremendous excited to get going, probably not realizing what to anticipate.
“Us 4 collectively, we’ve all had a fairly good relationship … bringing out lots of people and a number of curiosity, I believe that basically helped [us] get comfy.”
And primarily based on the pair’s monitor file, there’s no person Spieth is extra comfy round than Thomas.
The long-time mates grew to become solely the third pair in historical past to go undefeated within the first 4 rounds of the Presidents Cup in September, as a flawless 5-0-0 run prolonged their mixed file throughout President Cups and Ryder Cups to 8-2-0.
“We simply have a number of enjoyable,” Spieth mentioned.
“It takes a few of the stress away after we’re enjoying, as a result of on a nasty gap one among us will simply be self-depreciating and the opposite will giggle, and abruptly you simply get just a little bit extra comfy. And on the nice holes, we’re hyping one another up, utilizing phrases which can be humorous to he and I.
“Consider going out along with your greatest buddy in a high-pressure state of affairs. That has such profit on the again finish and having the ability to simply really feel tremendous comfy – it’s sort of an addicting feeling.”
Victory at The Match put the icing on a robust 12 months for Spieth, persevering with his return to his greatest type.
After bursting onto the scene with three main triumphs inside his first 4 years on Tour, a relative stoop noticed the previous World No. 1 fall exterior the highest 50 for the primary time since his historic rookie season in 2020.
But after ending a 1,351-day trophy drought and ending runner-up at The Open final 12 months, Spieth has gone from energy to energy, including his thirteenth Tour title in April and dazzling in a dominant Presidents Cup win to climb again contained in the world’s high 15.
Spieth believes a deal with mechanical work in his swing had led to a neglect of placing and chipping, however after discovering steadiness, he’s optimistic about attaining the consistency wanted to hurdle his excessive benchmark; to be in agency rivalry for half the season’s majors.
“I all the time have the objective of making an attempt to have an opportunity once I tee it up on Sunday to win no less than two majors – that’s the place we’re setting as much as peak for,” he mentioned.
“That doesn’t imply I’ve to be within the lead, it means once I tee it up, I sit there and say, ‘If I play my greatest golf, I’ll win this as we speak.’”
