​Jordan Spieth seems almost unrecognizable from the player who captured The Open at Royal Birkdale the last time the event was staged there. This year’s championship is being hosted at the same Southport course, which also hosted in 2017 when Spieth hoisted the Claret Jug. That victory marked his third major title at just 23, but it stands as the latest major success he has enjoyed.
Since then, Spieth has claimed three PGA Tour wins in 2015, yet he has only managed a single win in each of 2021 and 2022. He has often remained buoyant about his prospects despite the lean run, but his opening round at The Open suggests he may need to come to terms with a new reality. Earlier this year, he described his form as “almost there” in reference to his 2015 peak, when he won both The Masters and the US Open.
That kind of optimism is not new for Spieth; it’s a refrain he has uttered before, and it may not be the last time we hear it. Yet after posting a three-over 73 in the opening round that left him outside the top 100, a shift in thinking might be in order. Rather than insisting he is nearly back to his best, a more pragmatic mindset could help him manage expectations and focus on incremental improvement.
He remains evidently dedicated behind the scenes, pushing hard to reclaim the standout form he once displayed, though that return currently feels distant. Of course, there is still a long way to go in The Open, and Spieth should not be counted out from finding his footing as the championship unfolds.
There is reason for some concern, though, as his practice rounds ahead of the tournament suggested a few technical kinks that appeared to carry over into round one. On the bright side, he has previous success to draw from at Royal Birkdale, where his 2017 three-shot victory could still offer a boost of confidence this year. The course has evolved since then, yet that triumph remains a reminder of what he is capable of when the pieces align.
Spieth is among the later groups on day two, paired with hometown favorite Tommy Fleetwood and LIV Golf standout Jon Rahm. Both were one-under after the first round, keeping the competition close as the Southport course reveals its challenges. As the tournament progresses, fans will be watching to see whether Spieth can translate past glories into a fresh surge of form or whether the season’s broader patterns will keep reasserting themselves. The question persists: what truly is the root cause of his recent struggles, and can he recapture the rhythm that once defined his major victories?