Jordan Spieth has not lifted a trophy since the 2022 RBC Heritage. That is more than four years without a win. The 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale remains his last major. Yet when he sat down ahead of this week’s Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama and was asked about his game, he sounded more assertive than a player searching for answers.
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Speaking to the press, he said, “I think I had a lot better season than the result shows. I felt like I was getting better as the year went on. I’m really excited about what the next bunch of years can produce going forward. I feel as healthy and strong as ever. I don’t feel like I have restrictions like I did for a couple of years. I feel that my mechanics are more sound than they have been for a while.”
He also then explained what he thinks is missing.
“It’s just about giving myself more and more opportunities to get comfortable at or near the lead, again where I can push. Where I finished 11th and 19th most of the week this year, I can push that up to having a good chance to win I tee off on a Sunday at being at or near the end. So I like the position I’m in. I feel like I can stay the course, and it’s close.”
The results Spieth is talking about looked rough on paper. Spieth has not finished in the top 10 in any of his 21 starts this year, yet he reached the playoffs for the 14th consecutive year. In the playoffs, he ended up 52nd in the FedExCup, just two spots outside the top 50 needed for the BMW Championship.
Notably, these results come after a long physical break. Spieth had surgery on his left wrist in 2024 after playing through the injury for more than a year. He only returned to the course at Pebble Beach in February 2025 and has had to dedicate time to clean up swing habits that crept in while he managed it. He reiterated this week that the last two years were devoted to rehabilitation and swing rebuilding.
That being said, his ‘feeling’ of confidence has shown up well throughout the year. At the Sony Open in January, he said his body felt great, and his ball-striking was solid. Again, at the Masters in April, he said after the final round that he was better tee to green than the year he won there. He finished tied for 12th, his best major result in three years.
Moreover, that confidence carried into his results in summer. He finished T11 at the Valspar Championship, T18 at the PGA Championship and Cadillac Championship, and T19 at Byron Nelson. Even during the FedExCup at the St. Jude Championship, he opened with a bogey-free 65, finishing tied for 19th.
The numbers also show him ranked 47th in driving distance at 309.8 yards, 53rd in strokes gained putting, and 83rd in strokes gained approach. Approach play is the weakest piece, and it was the part of the game that was most damaged by years of his wrist trouble.
He tees up at the Baycurrent Classic, possibly looking for his first top-10 finish of the year.
What’s next for Spieth?
The Baycurrent Classic is more than a trip down memory lane. It is Spieth’s first start in Japan since 2019, and he told reporters he came to try to win but also learn. A hard course, he said, shows him better than home practice what to work on this offseason. The $8 million, no-cut event offers 500 FedExCup points and a deep field led by defending champion Xander Schauffele.
With that goal in mind, Spieth is also arriving with a few practical changes in the course. He has been testing Titleist’s new Pro V1 ball for a couple of weeks and plans to put it in play this week. His clubs remain unchanged except for one slot, which will either be a two-iron or a hybrid, a call he plans to make on Wednesday.
That being said, for now, the question is no longer whether Spieth can hit the shots. It’s whether his run of decent scores can turn into a Sunday win.