The Loop
Johnny Miller: "Jordan's probably a little better player than Rory right now"
Jordan Spieth's recent run, including a wire-to-wire win at the Masters, has him closing in on Rory McIlroy's No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. In the unofficial Johnny Miller ranking, however, Spieth has already passed McIlroy.
"You look at Jordan, he's just making that one or two more putts a round, and he's a much better putter than Rory," the NBC analyst said in a conference call ahead of next week's Players Championship. "Rory can be hot . . . Rory on certain weeks might dust Jordan Spieth, but I think day in and day out, Jordan's probably a little better player than Rory right now."
Ooooo debate!
If you look only at this season, Spieth clearly has been better. Spieth has a PGA Tour-best seven top 10s in 2014-'15, and he's tied for the most top fives (five) and wins (two), including the lone major of the year. McIlroy has only played in four PGA Tour events with his best finish a T-4 at the Masters.
Of course, it wasn't too long ago that McIlroy's dominance was unquestioned. McIlroy was the 2014 PGA Tour Player of the Year, winning the year's final two majors to give him four total in his young career. Don't worry, Rory, Johnny hasn't forgotten. Miller grouped McIlroy with Spieth as being the two players with "that extra gear."
"You've got a lot of supporting casts, but Rory and Spieth just seem like special, special players," Miller said. "It's sort of a great time to have those guys."
Tough to argue with that.