Does Jordan Spieth win the Masters?

[Mr. Desmond]

And you just made my point. Thank you!

Have no idea how you arrived at that conclusion.

You said he'd never been here before...

He has.

You were incorrect. Was that your point?

Just say you mis-spoke.

BTW, it is difficult for most touring pros to hang on to leads, except for Woods during his reign.

[Mr. Desmond]

Really?

He lost the Masters last year. He has failed to hold on to tournaments this year.

It is easy to say a player is mentally tough when they are playing good golf.

Agreed. As someone else stated, he is not the best closer on the weekends.

Perhaps it is a matter of maturity and he will turn the mental corner.

Some say he wants to win so badly that it causes mental errors that turn physical.

Let's see, over time, if he has turned the corner. Even if he wins this weekend, let's see what he does over time before he is declared Rory's great rival.

[jbishop15]

i don't think he'll lose it, but I can't imagine him keeping up with this onslaught. Seems like a bit too much to ask of him. I think he could easily shoot three under the next two days. I don't think he'll blow up.

[Golfingdad]

Wasn't he only leading by one stroke last year? As someone else said, even par will probably win it for him at this point.

Started the final round tied, had a two shot lead after 7, then bogied 8 and 9 while Bubba birdied both, and that was that. Other points ... Agree with phil that he's not that mentally tough, but it's just probably youth and with experience he's gaining rapidly in that category. Do not think that he has "infinitely" less talent than Rory. Dudes extremely talented. With a 5 shot lead over Hoffman and 7 over some of the big names, it's gonna take some work and luck to catch him. I would not bet against him. Looking for tiger to finish second though ... Watch.

[newtogolf]

The field will reel him in, but I think he holds on.   I don't see Hoffman around for the end, but I think Phil, DJ and a few others can cut that lead down to 2 or 3 shots tomorrow and as we've seen anything can happen on Sunday.

[newtogolf]

Started the final round tied, had a two shot lead after 7, then bogied 8 and 9 while

Bubba birdied both, and that was that.

Other points ... Agree with phil that he's not that mentally tough, but it's just probably youth and with experience he's gaining rapidly in that category.

Do not think that he has "infinitely" less talent than Rory. Dudes extremely talented.

With a 5 shot lead over Hoffman and 7 over some of the big names, it's gonna take some work and luck to catch him. I would not bet against him.

Looking for tiger to finish second though ... Watch.

Joe Paradiso

[BallStriker]

I think a 74 is very possible out of Jordan tomorrow...especially if the greens are playing harder and faster in the afternoon......it could easily be a one/two/three stroke lead come Sunday......long, long way to go

[Golfingdad]

I think Spieth is mentally tough but he lacks experience and maturity.  He has to learn how to manage a course better with the lead, especially a small one.  I do think Rory has more talent but Rory hasn't had two good consecutive years so I'm not sure what to attribute that to.

Yeah, I was mostly just disagreeing with the hyperbolic nature of that post. Rory and spieth are both phenomenally talented.

[newtogolf]

Yeah, I was mostly just disagreeing with the hyperbolic nature of that post. Rory and spieth are both phenomenally talented.

Joe Paradiso

[ChrisP]

I think Spieth is mentally tough but he lacks experience and maturity.  He has to learn how to manage a course better with the lead, especially a small one.  I do think Rory has more talent but Rory hasn't had two good consecutive years so I'm not sure what to attribute that to.

Rory is not consistent, though. The one edge Spieth has on him is Spieth is more like Tiger in that he shows up week in and week out on the front page of the leaderboard. It's incredible. I haven't seen a player this consistent since Tiger. Rory is more like Phil in that he pulls disapearing acts. Rory's biggest flaw is no doubt his short game. Spieth really doesn't have that huge glaring flaw. His driving, I guess....he tends to be inaccurate off the tee and he's not very long, but he's so good at scrambling he's able to offset that. I don't think Rory's ever going to make it to that next level unless he makes some big strides with his short game. But when he's on, I do think his talent is as good as Tiger's was in his prime. He just isn't able to hold that consistently.

[David in FL]

I can't vote, because there's no option for him to win, while playing well, with another couple of players making a strong charge. Sorry, but if he shoots a pair of 70''s or some today and tomorrow, I'm not calling that "blowing up" or "choking"!

[cubdog]

Spieth is the mentally toughest player we've seen since Tiger in his prime. You look at him compared to Rory and he's essentially the anti-Rory. Rory has infinitely more physical talent and ability than him, but Jordan is infinitely tougher between the ears. It's really shaping up to be a unique and interesting rivalry. I think he wins...don't know if he 'runs away and hides' because the likes of DJ and/or Phil might have the fire power to stay in touch, but I do think he wins by 2-4 shots on Sunday.

Last I checked Rory has won three Majors. Spieth is "infinitely tougher between the ears" than Rory. Interesting.

[Ernest Jones]

Last I checked Rory has won three Majors. Spieth is "infinitely tougher between the ears" than Rory. Interesting.

Check again. ;-)

[ghalfaire]

I voted yes he wins.  I am not sure of whether it is a lot or a little but I don't see him losing.  To lose he would have implode and somehow I just don't see him doing that.

[Mr. Desmond]

Spieth shot even par in 2014 during the last round where he made several mistakes, some bad breaks on the last 11 holes (and had some good break on the front nine).

A 72 ...

Spieth manages the course so well ... so far.

I heard Tiger was lobbying Masters' officials to turn on the drainage system and dry up the greens... he wants a chance.

As to Rory, he is streaky, with a streaky short game and putter -- he unstreaks that part of his game, and he dominates for 10 years. Of course, we could say the same for a lot of players. But Rory has the power, it's whether he can tame his short game. One could say the same for DJ.

[Chilli Dipper]

Spieth shot 130 for 36 holes the same way Martin Kaymer shot 130 for 36 holes at Pinehurst: he's kept his drives in the fairway, he's been aiming for the fat parts of the greens instead of pin-hunting, and he's made almost every makeable putt he's left himself. It's a good strategy to stay in contention under normal circumstances, but if you execute every shot, like Jordan has this week and Martin did at Pinehurst, you can just run away from the field. Kaymer couldn't keep up perfect play through the weekend: he shot one-over-par for the final two rounds. Still, Pinehurst was playing tough enough that no one had a chance of making a move toward him. I think Spieth cools off down the stretch as well; unlike last year's Open, the course and the chasing pack should cause the gap to be closed to about three strokes going into Sunday. My prediction: Spieth finishes in 72-70 and wins by three.

[ChrisP]

In reality, anything can happen. To get that first major, you always have to fight the nerves and overcome weekend obstacles. Tiger had to go through them, Rory as well...it's part of the process. I gaurantee you there's going to be a time this weekend (maybe today, maybe tomorrow) where he's going to be up against it.The advantage he has is he has been there on Sunday a lot over the last 5 months. Some he's won, some he hasn't, but the fact he's been there helps him a lot, and the more times he puts himself in that position, the more mature he gets. He also blew out the field a few months ago, so he has experience of having a big lead.

I honestly don't see him backing up a lot, but I do see a scenario where he can get stuck in neutral and a Dustin Johnson or Justin Rose goes low today and then really pushes him. Then he'll really feel the pressure. He just needs to set goals for himself like Tiger did in '97 and really play for a score rather than try to just stay ahead and not make mistakes. I heard someone say this morning he's set a goal for himself to be the first ever player in major championship history to finish 20-under. Tiger in '97 motivated himself by trying to break Raymond's record.

[cubdog]

Check again.

I'm not following what I'm supposed to check? I'm not questioning the metal toughness of either golfer but Rory has already proven his toughness in three majors. I have no doubt Jordon will do so as well either this weekend or in the very near future. I'll draw the line however at saying he is infinitely tougher than McIlroy as that has yet to be proven by any measure.