Jordan Spieth: Chasing the Slam That Won’t Come
In July 2017, Jordan Spieth completed a remarkable back-nine comeback to win The Open Championship, becoming the first man since Jack Nicklaus to win three of golf’s four majors before turning 24. He was 23 years old, already a former world number one, and seemed destined to become one of the sport’s defining champions for a generation. Nine years later, he still hasn’t added a fourth major to that collection β and the search for the one leg of the career Grand Slam that’s eluded him has become one of golf’s more compelling ongoing storylines.
The historic 2015 breakthrough
Spieth’s rise to the top of golf was rapid and spectacular. In 2015, he won back-to-back majors at the Masters and the US Open, and came agonisingly close to a calendar Grand Slam with near-misses at both the Open Championship and the PGA Championship that same year. He became the second-youngest world number one in history, behind only Tiger Woods, and by the time he added the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale β coming from behind to beat Matt Kuchar β he had three legs of the career Grand Slam completed before his 24th birthday, a feat matched by remarkably few players in the sport’s history.
A very public collapse
Not every chapter of Spieth’s story has been triumphant. In 2016, he was in command at the Masters for a second straight year before a disastrous quadruple bogey at the par-3 12th hole on Sunday β part of Augusta National’s famously treacherous Amen Corner β derailed his title defence in agonising, widely replayed fashion. It remains one of the more painful individual holes in modern major championship history, and a moment that’s followed Spieth’s career narrative ever since.
The long wait for major number four
Since that 2017 Open Championship win, Spieth has made ten attempts at the PGA Championship specifically β the one major still missing from his collection β the second-most all-time behind Rory McIlroy’s eleven tries before finally winning it himself. Spieth’s best result across those ten PGA Championship appearances is a tie for third in 2019, when Brooks Koepka dominated the field at Bethpage. In his more recent starts, emerging from a genuine mid-career slump, he hasn’t finished better than 29th at the event.
His broader major record tells a similarly bittersweet story: seven top-four finishes across his first 20 majors, but only four in the 35 since β a meaningful drop-off from the standard he set so young.
The 2018-2020 valley, and a genuine comeback
Spieth went through a well-documented career slump between 2018 and 2020, a genuinely difficult stretch for a three-time major champion still in his mid-twenties. He found his way back to the winner’s circle at the 2021 Open Championship in a tie for third, and won again at the 2022 RBC Heritage, edging Patrick Cantlay in a playoff at Hilton Head β a victory built on the kind of scrambling, bunker-escaping golf that’s become part of his identity as a player, equal parts brilliant and chaotic.
A longer victory drought followed after that 2022 win, stretching nearly four years, before Spieth broke through again at the Valero Texas Open β fittingly, a win for the Texas native in his home state, and his 12th career PGA Tour title.
2026: signs of life, still no win
Spieth’s 2026 season has followed a similar pattern of encouraging signs without a return to the winner’s circle. Recovering from offseason wrist surgery, he posted a tie for 12th at the Masters β his best major result in three years β followed by a tie for 18th at the PGA Championship, his tenth unsuccessful attempt at completing the career Grand Slam. Across 17 starts in the season, he recorded eight top-25 finishes, evidence of a genuine floor under his game even without a signature result to show for it. He’s spoken candidly about his approach to the missing major, suggesting, only half-joking, that the easiest way to finally win it might be to stop trying so hard for it specifically.
What makes his game distinctive
Spieth’s game has never been built on overwhelming length off the tee. His identity as a player is built around an elite short game, inventive scrambling from difficult positions, and a putting touch that, at its best, has been among the most feared on tour β the same skills, notably, that both won him majors early in his career and occasionally abandoned him during his roughest stretches, since a short-game-reliant player has less margin for error when his touch briefly deserts him.
Where his career stands
Jordan Spieth’s career now sits at a genuinely interesting inflection point: a three-time major champion with a Hall of Fame-calibre rΓ©sumΓ© already secured by his mid-twenties, still searching in his thirties for the one achievement β the PGA Championship, and with it the career Grand Slam β that would place him alongside a truly tiny handful of golfers in the sport’s history. Whether that chapter still gets written remains one of golf’s most closely watched open questions.
Quick facts
Full name: Jordan Alexander Spieth | Born: 27 July 1993, Dallas, Texas | Notable: Three-time major champion (2015 Masters, 2015 US Open, 2017 Open Championship), former world No. 1, 13 PGA Tour wins, still chasing the career Grand Slam via the PGA Championship.
Frequently asked questions
How many majors has Jordan Spieth won?
Three β the 2015 Masters, the 2015 US Open, and the 2017 Open Championship.
Has Jordan Spieth won the PGA Championship?
No β it’s the one major missing from his career Grand Slam bid, with a best finish of tied third in 2019 across ten attempts.
What happened to Jordan Spieth at the 2016 Masters?
Leading the tournament, he made a quadruple bogey at the par-3 12th hole on Sunday, a collapse that cost him a second straight green jacket.
When did Jordan Spieth last win on the PGA Tour?
At the Valero Texas Open, ending a title drought of nearly four years and giving him his 12th career PGA Tour victory.
Was Jordan Spieth ever world number one?
Yes β he became the second-youngest player ever to reach the top ranking, behind only Tiger Woods.
Jordan Spieth’s Amateur Career: A Prodigy Before the Pros
Long before Jordan Spieth was winning majors, he was the most decorated junior golfer in America. At Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, he won the Texas state high school championship three years running from 2009 to 2011. He captured the U.S. Junior Amateur title in both 2009 and 2011, becoming only the second player in history β after Tiger Woods β to win that championship more than once. He was named the AJGA Rolex Player of the Year in 2009 and represented the United States on the victorious 2011 Walker Cup team.
Spieth enrolled at the University of Texas in the fall of 2011 and made an immediate impact. As a freshman, he swept the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year, and first-team All-American honors, led the Longhorns in scoring average, and helped Texas win the 2012 NCAA Championship. He was the low amateur at the 2012 U.S. Open and reached number one in the world amateur rankings. In December 2012, after just one semester of his sophomore year, he left college to turn professional at age 19 β a decision that looked bold at the time but was vindicated within months when he won the 2013 John Deere Classic, becoming the youngest PGA Tour winner in 82 years.
Jordan Spieth’s Career Earnings, Net Worth and Endorsements
Jordan Spieth’s net worth is estimated at around $120 million as of 2026, built on a combination of tournament prize money, bonuses, and one of the most valuable endorsement portfolios in golf. His official PGA Tour career earnings have passed $69 million, with total career prize money estimated at roughly $97 million once major championship payouts, FedEx Cup bonuses, and Player Impact Program awards are included. His landmark 2015 season alone brought in more than $22 million in golf-related earnings β over $12 million in prize money plus a $10 million FedEx Cup bonus.
But endorsements have arguably been the bigger story. Spieth signed with Under Armour as a rookie in 2013, becoming the brand’s first full head-to-toe golf signing, and later extended the partnership through 2029, eventually adding a signature shoe line. His endorsement roster has also included AT&T, Titleist, Rolex, NetJets, SuperStroke, and Coca-Cola, reportedly worth tens of millions per year. Notably, his commercial value held firm through his late-2010s form slump β a sign of how much brands value his clean-cut, family-man image. He has also invested in sports media and technology ventures, diversifying beyond the course.
Jordan Spieth in Team Events: Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup
Team competitions have been a defining part of Jordan Spieth’s career, and his Ryder Cup record tells its own story of promise and frustration. He has represented Team USA five times β in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2023 β playing 22 matches with a record of 8 wins, 9 losses, and 5 halves (10.5 points). He was part of the victorious 2016 American team at Hazeltine, and his personal best came in defeat at the 2018 Ryder Cup in France, where he won three points even as Europe dominated. His partnership with close friend Justin Thomas became a fan favorite, the pair going 4-4-1 together across nine matches.
In a telling sign of his form struggles, Spieth was left off the 2025 Ryder Cup team by captain Keegan Bradley β the first time he had missed the event since his debut. Spieth took the snub gracefully, admitting it was “a little humbling” and that it lit a fire under him. He has also played four Presidents Cups (2013, 2015, 2017, and 2022), all on winning American teams, making him one of the most experienced American team-event players of his generation.
Jordan Spieth’s Personal Life: Family, Foundation and Dallas Roots
Jordan Spieth married his high school sweetheart, Annie Verret, in November 2018 in a private ceremony in Dallas. The couple have two children: son Sammy, born in November 2021, and daughter Sophie, born in September 2023. Spieth remains deeply rooted in Dallas, where he was born on July 27, 1993, and where much of his family still lives. His younger brother Steven played college basketball, and his younger sister Ellie β who was born with a neurological disorder β became the inspiration for the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation.
The foundation, which Spieth launched early in his pro career, supports children with special needs, junior golf programs, military families, and pediatric cancer research, and has granted over $10 million to nonprofit organizations. Away from golf, Spieth is known for keeping a low profile β he is a keen sports fan (baseball is reportedly a favorite outside golf), rarely courts controversy, and has spoken often about how fatherhood changed his perspective on the game. That grounded, family-first image has been central to his appeal with fans and sponsors alike.
FAQs
What majors has Jordan Spieth won?
Jordan Spieth has won three major championships: the 2015 Masters, the 2015 U.S. Open, and the 2017 Open Championship. He needs only the PGA Championship to complete the career Grand Slam, and his best finish there is a tie for third in 2019.
How old is Jordan Spieth?
Jordan Spieth was born on July 27, 1993, in Dallas, Texas, which makes him 33 years old as of late 2026. He turned professional at 19 and won his first major at 21.
What is Jordan Spieth’s net worth?
Jordan Spieth’s net worth is estimated at around $120 million as of 2026. The figure combines roughly $69 million in official PGA Tour earnings with tens of millions more from endorsements with brands like Under Armour, AT&T, Titleist, and Rolex.
Who is Jordan Spieth’s wife?
Jordan Spieth is married to Annie Verret, his high school sweetheart. They married in November 2018 in Dallas and have two children: son Sammy (born 2021) and daughter Sophie (born 2023).
Has Jordan Spieth ever won the Ryder Cup?
Yes. Jordan Spieth was part of the victorious U.S. team at the 2016 Ryder Cup. Across five Ryder Cup appearances (2014β2023), his individual record is 8 wins, 9 losses, and 5 halves. He was left off the 2025 team for the first time in his career.
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