SMBC Singapore Open drawcard Jordan Spieth underlined his standing as world number one with a runaway eight-shot victory in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Sunday.
Spieth brought his 2015 form into the New Year with a commanding performance at Kapalua. A final-round 67 saw him finish at 30-under 262 to join Ernie Els as the only players in PGA Tour history to finish a 72-hole event at 30 under or lower.
It was Spieth’s seventh win in his 77th PGA Tour start as a professional (he also won the 2014 Emirates Australian Open), with Tiger Woods the only other player to have won as many events at age 22.
Spieth, who will tee it up at the SMBC Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club from January 28-31, waved aside comparisons with Woods in typically modest fashion.
“Nowhere near,” he told reporters when asked about how his record compared to Woods. “I don’t think there’s any reason to compare. It’s awfully early. We’re excited about where we’re at to start our career. What Tiger has done, I can’t imagine ever being done again.
“But it’s nice to be in that company. It’s fantastic being out here with what we’re trying to do, and doing it well.”
Spieth won five times on the PGA Tour in 2015, including the Masters, US Open and end-of-season Tour Championship, and he was delighted to begin 2016 with a thumping victory.
“I felt like it was a short three-week break and continue what we were doing last year,” he said. “That’s the way I’ll keep on thinking about it. It worked this week. All parts were firing.”
Major winners Darren Clarke and Y. E. Yang are also in the field for the SMBC Singapore Open which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.
