Jordan Spieth has a direct ticket to compete in The Open Championship as a past champion, but that exemption will soon expire thanks to the PGA Tour’s proposed two-track system. So what would that mean for the former world No. 1? Sitting with Justin Ray, golf expert Trey Wingo explained on his show, Trey Wingo Golf, issuing a blunt message for Spieth. 

“Kid, play better and stop hitting it crooked… It has been a long time since he’s been in the winner’s circle… And, I’ve said this before, both Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods have won majors more recently than Jordan Spieth, which is just ridiculous on some level if you think about it.”

Wingo isn’t being too dramatic about Spieth’s run. The 32-year-old’s last tournament victory was at the 2022 RBC Heritage, where he defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff. This victory marked Spieth’s 13th career PGA Tour title. Despite the drought he has been in since then, Spieth has received at least six sponsor exemptions in the current season alone. 

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Before 2026 Scottish Open, in Which Tournament Scheffler Last Missed the Cut?

2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship2023 Memorial Tournament2021 Players Championship2024 Genesis Scottish Open

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Even in terms of wins at majors, Spieth’s last win came all the way back during the 2017 Open Championship. By comparison, Tiger Woods won his last major during the 2019 Masters Tournament. And Phil Mickelson became the oldest major winner during the 2021 PGA Championship. Clearly, Spieth has to make changes to his game. 

Under the new rules from 2028, the elite 120-player fields will transition to fully exempt, merit-based spots. This means those specific events will not permit sponsor exemptions or open qualifiers. Although it’s important to note that Challenger Series or regular tournaments will continue to feature sponsor exemptions. 

And Justin Ray feels that’s where Spieth may have to start working his way back from.

“Even for a player as accomplished as Jordan Spieth is… you can’t just be a famous guy and get into tournaments,” Ray said. “[You’ve] got to be up there with your peers in terms of being evaluated with your game… He might find himself working his way back to the PGA Tour at some point if he doesn’t play great out of the gates in 2028.”

Spieth currently ranks 54th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Out of 18 starts this year, he has yet to record a win or a top-10 finish. He has, however, recorded eight top-25 finishes and missed the cut twice. It’s not his worst performance, but it is inconsistent. 

Although Spieth has outstanding achievements under his belt, today, only his popularity and past accolades are driving his appearances in major tournaments. But once the exemptions are gone, it will be interesting to see how he handles it.