Golf’s prodigal son is stirring from his slumber. The same Jordan Spieth, who once dominated the sport with three major championships, dazzled galleries with impossible escapes and miracle finishes, and became the youngest U.S. Open champion since 1923, is back on the course. The golfer who made ‘Spieth Saturdays’ a phenomenon is showing glimpses of his old magic at the WM Phoenix Open.

But the road to glory has been anything but smooth for the former World No. 1. His last victory came at the 2022 RBC Heritage, where he defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff. Since then, it’s been a tale of persistent struggles and mounting frustration, culminating in a 2024 season that saw a career-low three top-10 finishes and eight missed cuts.

The breaking point came at the 2024 Open Championship. After battling through recurring wrist issues since May 2023, including a frightening incident at the RBC Heritage where his tendon popped out during a bunker shot, Spieth finally opted for surgery in August of 2024. Now back to playing after a 5-month recovery period at TPC Scottsdale, Speith, still with lingering wrist pain, opened with a 3-under on the 7th hole, sparking cautious optimism. “I know where I was today, and I know that I can do better,” he reflected after his opening round on Friday. “If I can post a few scores at or better than today, then you never know. I will start getting back in the mix, and it will become pretty fun and hopefully more consistent.“

The golf community’s reaction to Spieth’s return has been nothing short of euphoric and with good reason. Since his breakthrough year in 2015, where he won both the Masters and U.S. Open, Spieth has been a ratings magnet for the PGA Tour. Ricks Golf posted a video on X of Spieth’s birdie on the 7th hole. THe caption read, “The PGA Tour needs a lot of things to get its fans back, It won’t ever be Tiger level, but if the players reunite it can at least make a step.” The caption then emphasized what many were thinking: “But what would really bring back ratings? This guy. Jordan Spieth doing these kind of things every week.”

With Spieth showing such promising signs of revival, it’s no surprise that golf fans worldwide are rallying behind their returning hero.

Jordan Spieth’s return ignites fan frenzy

The excitement has reached fever pitch, with some fans already making bold predictions about the Masters, where Spieth has an exceptional record. With a victory in 2015, runner-up finishes in 2014 and 2016, and a third-place finish in 2018, his history at Augusta National makes these predictions more than just wishful thinking. “I’ve seen enough, Jordan Spieth is winning the masters!” declared one passionate supporter. Another fan went even further, drawing parallels with the NFL’s biggest storyline: “Jordan Spieth winning this weekend will be better than the Chiefs 3-peat.“

The comparison to the Super Bowl isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem. During his peak years, Spieth’s final round coverage regularly drew millions of viewers, with his 2015 Masters victory pulling in 14 million viewers during the back nine. “Jordan Spieth in contention late on a Sunday would be more important to me than the Super Bowl this year,” proclaimed one golf enthusiast, reflecting the magnetic pull Spieth has on golf audiences. As another fan put it, capturing the sentiment of many: “Golf is so much better with Jordan Spieth back! Good luck this weekend!“

As golf’s golden child climbs the leaderboard once again, bringing electricity to the tour that few others can generate, one question remains: Can he recapture the magic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!