Golf legend blames 'tragedy' for Jordan Spieth's staggering decline
Player, who is widely considered one of the greatest golfers in history, thought he saw a contemporary in Spieth went he burst onto the scene a decade ago. The South African believes the drop-off is due to bad coaching.
In 2015, Spieth became the second-youngest golfer to win The Masters after Tiger Woods. The Texan followed it up with a triumph at the US Open.
He's won one major since, the 2017 Open Championship, and struggled to keep up with the sport's elite.
Now, Player, 89, has blasted Spieth and his team for letting the golfing prodigy not live up to expectations.
'Jordan Spieth, I think, is the best golfer in the world, but in my opinion, he was taught the wrong thing. He was taught the wrong thing. And he just went downhill,' Player said to 'The Golf Supply'. 'If you had a man like Ben Hogan teaching Jordan Spieth, he would be the best in the world.'
'He's such a competitor, such a wonderful man. A wonderful guy for golf, the best short game, oh man, best course management, but, man, he just can't hit the ball, ya know? That is a tragedy.'
Player blasted the American state of golf as a whole, with a referendum likely coming next month with the Ryder Cup in New York.
The nine-time major champion, and nine-time Champions Tour major winner, specifically tore into those teachers in the United States not instructing the bowed wrist technique correctly.
The technique keeps the clubface path closed compared to the direction of your swing, leading to a more accurate shot for any non-putt.
'I would say in America today, the golf pros that are teaching know less about golf,' Player added.
Player then name-dropped another American golfer he has seen as having a massive drop-off: 'When's the last you heard of Dustin Johnson?'
Johnson last won a major in 2020, with the pandemic-era Masters, his last victory on the PGA Tour before moving to LIV Golf.
Spieth's last win on the PGA Tour came in 2022, at the RBC Heritage in a playoff over Patrick Cantlay. His best placement this season is two fourth-place finishes. The Texan's current form is subpar at 40th, 31st, and 38th in his last three tournaments.
To make matters worse, Spieth is not competing in this weekend's BMW Championship in Maryland due to finishing outside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Player did not make a comment about Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, or Bryson DeChambeau, who are among the best golfers in the world and hail from America.
Scheffler in particular has shown a dominance on the links golf fans have not seen since Woods in his prime.
Player is no doubt one of the best to ever pick up a set of clubs, often regarded as one of the big three to popularize the sport on television alongside Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
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