JORDAN RULES: Spieth ties scoring record to dominate, win Masters

The world’s No. 1 player, Rory McIlroy, was trying to complete a career grand slam. Tiger Woods was in the hunt on the final day. Phil Mickelson was in contention until the back nine.

But Jordan Spieth made the argument at the Masters that he’s the best player in golf.

He left no argument that he has been for the past four days.

The 21-year-old Texan quieted Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday evening with a round as clean as he is clean cut.

Spieth shot a 2-under 70 to finish 18-under for the tournament, tying Woods’ 1997 course record. At the green jacket ceremony afterward, he thanked the tournament’s volunteers and food and beverage staff, cementing his status as the game’s most likeable star – as well as it hottest.

“I really couldn’t express what it means in words to you that would make sense right now,” said Spieth, who would have owned the Masters scoring record outright if not for a bogey on the 18th hole. “It would be something to maybe ask in a week or two. But it is very, very special to join this club.”

Spieth pocketed $1.8 million for the win, giving him $5 million in earnings this season. He is now 108th on the game’s career money list with $13.2 million in prize money.

Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose finished tied for second at 14-under. Their score would have won 71 of the previous 79 Masters … and they lost by four strokes.

“He’s going to fly the flag for golf for a long time, and people were getting excited about that today, you could tell,” Rose said.

Spieth became the second-youngest Masters winner in his second appearance here. He set the tournament record for birdies (28) and became the fifth wire-to-wire winner and first since Raymond Floyd in 1976.

“I slept well the first night on the lead after day one, partly because I was worn out,” he said. “Friday night, I slept OK. And then last night, I didn’t sleep as well. I think I probably went to bed a little after midnight, and I think I woke up before 7, and I was just wide awake. To wake up then and not tee off for nine hours – is that right? Somebody do the math for me, please, something like that – is very difficult.”

He made it look easy, though. Spieth is the first player since fellow Texan and mentor Ben Crenshaw in 1984 to have sole possession of the first day lead and finish as champion. Crenshaw played the last of his 44 Masters this week.

“I saw Mr. Crenshaw after the round (Saturday). He was outside right after media, and he was just – it was just all positive,” said Spieth, the 2011 NCAA champion at the University of Texas. “And then he sent me a text that I got this morning. It said: ‘Stay patient, this is going to be yours, you’ve got this and you’re playing great. Just keep your head down and stay focused.’”

Mission accomplished.

Rose entered the day four shots back and was within three walking off the seventh fairway, but Spieth birdied No. 8 and no one got closer than four shots thereafter. Mickelson, playing in the group just in front of Spieth, made a back-nine push that included an eagle on No. 15, but it never got him close enough to Spieth for anyone to notice.

“I would have taken 14-under at the start of the week,” Mickelson said. “I would have been happy with that. I played really well to shoot 14-under, and I just simply got outplayed by a young player who just played some incredible golf.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2015 at 9:22 PM with the headline "JORDAN RULES: Spieth ties scoring record to dominate, win Masters."