Tour Life
Jordan Spieth hated admitting this after getting his 'butt kicked' by Scottie Scheffler
Orlando Ramirez
The good news for Jordan Spieth? A final-round 62 moved him up to solo fourth at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson for his best finish of 2025. The bad news? He still finished a full dozen shots behind Scottie Scheffler.
So despite a great Sunday, Spieth couldn't help being a bit disappointed. At both the deficit and with whom he finished behind. Again.
Spieth and Scheffler have long been linked. Both are from Dallas and both would have overlapped at the University of Texas had Spieth not turned pro as a sophomore. They still play a lot of golf together and Spieth uses those rounds to measure where his game is.
But that's where things have changed in recent years between the two. And Spieth got another up-close reminder of that on Sunday at their hometown PGA Tour event.
"I know, if I'm able to clip him when we're playing at home, then I'm playing really well. That's just the way it's been the last few years. It didn't used to be that way. I used to get him every time," Spieth said.
The three-time major champ was World No. 1 for a total of 26 weeks during 2015 and 2016. But Scheffler's reign in the top spot has now been going for two years. And he authored arguably his most dominant performance last week, winning by eight shots and tying the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record. With his 14th career PGA Tour title, he also passed his older buddy in that regard.
"It's inspiring what he's doing. It makes me want to work harder and be better, especially after watching him for two days and just getting my butt kicked," Spieth continued. "I didn't play great golf, but even if I did, it would have been hard to be at 18-under in two rounds. I don't think I've ever done that. So just getting your butt kicked right there face to face at this tournament really stinks."
Of course, we should point out that everyone in the field got their butt kicked by Scheffler. But again, it feels different for Spieth, who for a long time—in part, because he was three years older—had the upper hand in this friendly rivalry.
"I mean, it wasn't that long ago I was definitely better than him, and now I'm definitely not right now," Spieth added. "I hate admitting that about anybody, but I just watched it those first two rounds, and like I've got to get better."
Maybe so, Jordan, but another few scores like Sunday's at next week's PGA Championship and you could be the latest golfer to complete the career Grand Slam. And even the current World No. 1 would be inspired by that.