Remember Spieth Saturdays? How stunning they were. In 2014, he became the youngest runner-up in the Masters history. It was his Augusta. Naturally, he stole the limelight. Rightfully so, he earned selection to the 2014 Ryder Cup team, becoming the youngest American to play in the matches for 85 years since Horton Smith in 1929. He had a dominant stretch of his career from 2015 to 2017 when he won 11 PGA Tour events, but for the last couple of years, it has been slow.

Since his last win at the 2022 RBC Heritage, Spieth has been grinding his way back, battling a wrist injury that sidelined him for a big chunk of 2024. He is yet to recover fully. He actually jammed that same wrist again at the AT&T Pebble Beach. But that didn’t stop him from putting up a fight, shooting a 68 to finish at 16-under. Then, at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, he came so close, finishing in a tie for fourth, while his good friend Justin Thomas ended up T6. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone just how good Spieth can be—especially considering everything he’s been dealing with.

Now, after missing the cut at the Genesis Invitational, he’s decided to hit pause for a bit and focus on getting back to 100%. After all, he struggled at Torrey Pines too. “It’s been a tough week on the wrist. I wasn’t sure if I’d hit one more shot like my shot on 16 yesterday, I wasn’t going to finish the first round. I was OK to go today, but this cold, wet weather and third week in a row, it was not good for it,” Spieth said following a second-round 74 and a missed cut at a $20M event. But even while Spieth is taking a breather, there’s no shortage of moments where he’s left us in awe.

In a nostalgic throwback, Ryder Cup USA posted a highlight reel of some of Spieth’s best shots on X. And when Ryder Cup vice-captain Jim Furyk saw it, he didn’t waste any time showing his appreciation. Reposting the video, Furyk wrote, “I absolutely love the aggression and commitment in this move  @JordanSpieth. Not steerin’ it :)”

That comment pretty much captures what makes Spieth such a thrilling player to watch. The Bethpage battle, where Americans will try to regain the glory is just 7 months away. So far, the biggest storyline is Europeans dominating the PGA Tour. So, will Team US need the mindset Spieth brings to the team? The same mindset that helped him rack up three major titles early in his career, but it’s also led to some frustrating inconsistency.

For Spieth, getting that kind of recognition from a Ryder Cup legend like Furyk is huge. After all, he has played in 5 Ryder Cups so far, winning two of them (2016, and 2021). But at the same time, it brings back the debate about his form and whether he earned his spot on that 2023 Ryder Cup team.

The backlash over Jordan Spieth’s 2023 Ryder Cup selection

When U.S. captain Zach Johnson announced his six captain’s picks for the 2023 Ryder Cup, Spieth’s inclusion immediately became a hot topic. Sure, his career résumé and past Ryder Cup performances made him an easy pick on paper, but if you looked at his form heading into the event, it told a different story.

Spieth had a mediocre 2023 season by his standards. He had some flashes of brilliance, but when the FedEx Cup Playoffs wrapped up, he was outside the top 15—far from the momentum you’d want heading into a Ryder Cup. But the real controversy wasn’t just about Spieth getting in—it was about who got left out.

Keegan Bradley had a strong 2023 campaign, winning the Travelers Championship and securing multiple top-10 finishes throughout the season. Statistically, he outperformed Spieth in several key areas, including strokes gained and Ryder Cup qualification points. If there was anyone who deserved a spot based purely on performance, it was him.

And he knew it, too. Bradley later admitted that being snubbed “crushed” him, and plenty of fans agreed. Many felt Spieth got in not because he’d earned it, but because of his close ties with Johnson and other U.S. team members, including best friend Justin Thomas—who was also controversially chosen despite a poor season. “Boy club” as a community called it.

Looking back, the skepticism turned out to be pretty justified. Spieth went 0-2-2 in Rome, failing to win a single match. Team USA took a brutal 16.5-11.5 loss to Europe, and Spieth’s struggles on the greens and erratic play only added fuel to the fire. It put even more scrutiny on Johnson’s decisions.

With the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black fast approaching, Spieth has a chance to rewrite the narrative. For now, though, he remains one of the most polarizing figures in American golf—either thrilling fans with fearless shot-making or leaving them wondering what could have been.