Jordan Spieth on Sunday underlined his status as world No. 1 by cruising to an eight-shot victory at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii after repelling an early challenge by fellow United States golfer Patrick Reed.
The 22-year old American has won this edition of the PGA's Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, tearing up the course at Kapalua, finishing at minus-30.
Els set his record of 31 under at Kapalua in 2003 with an eight-shot victory.
Spieth holed seven birdies, including his final hole at the 18th, to clinch his seventh Tour title, matching Tiger Woods' record for the second most trophies won before the age of 23.
Spieth, who would match Tiger Woods with a seventh PGA win before the age of 23 should he triumph on Sunday, was delighted to rebound from a poor stretch of holes from the short eighth, which he bogeyed after missing the green.
Reed, the defending champion at Kapalua, got within three shots with a birdie on the par-five ninth. He can close the deal, ' " Spieth said Saturday, holding a five-stroke lead with 18 holes to play.
The 2015 PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year told Golf Channel: "I guess we made a statement that the calendar changed but we're still there". I just find it hard to believe it can be matched. "Michael [Greller, Spieth's caddie] said on the 18th fairway, 'Man, what a way to make a statement.' I thought that was cool".
"My putting feels like it's 100 percent ready for major championships, and I've just got to dial in everything else just a little bit more", he said. He has collected top-10 finishes in his last seven worldwide events and has two second-place finishes and a third-place finish in that span. "I don't think there is any reason to compare", he said. I will always carry an image of Johnny Miller in plaid pants hitting iron shots with absurd precision to win the 1975 Phoenix Open by 14 shots, then coming back the next week at Tucson to win by nine with a closing 61. "What Tiger's done, I can't imagine ever being done again, but it's nice to be in that company", he added. Nonetheless, Spieth is aware it takes more than one phenomenal year to retain those Woods comparisons.
As yesterday was Spieth's 85th start as a professional, let's compare their respective records at that stage in their career... He played incredibly well in his defense, especially considering he played with Spieth three out of the four rounds, but his Ryder Cup partner was not going to be stopped this week. Koepka closed with a 71 and tied for third with Brandt Snedeker (67). Spieth shot a 66-64-65-67 for the tournament and had only two bogeys throughout the 72 holes.
Bus driver said he was exhausted before deadly crash
One of the two women killed had recently moved to the USA from the Philippines to be close to her children, her son said. Five of those wounded suffered life-threatening injuries, the department said, and were taken to local trauma centers.
