KAPALUA, Maui >> Had Jordan Spieth done the unthinkable and won the grand slam of golf at age 22, then talk of what the Dallas native planned for an encore would be more appropriate.
As it stands, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world by the slimmest of margins was a five-time winner in the 2014-15 PGA Tour wraparound campaign. And that included a pair of majors at the Masters and U.S. Open, and a close call at the British.
By anyone’s standards entering today’s opening round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course, Spieth had a season to remember that he will think back on when he’s old and gray.
For now, it’s all about getting better, fine-tuning the machine and defending his world ranking against the likes of No. 2 Jason Day this week at this lush setting in western Maui, and No. 3 Rory McIlroy two weeks later in the desert at Abu Dhabi.
“Doesn’t an encore mean that the show is then over?” Spieth asked a gathering of reporters at a Tuesday press conference. “I hope I’ve got like 40 years out here.”
Spieth is only one of 31 teeing it up in this elite winners-only field, which is considered the best since Tiger Woods and Ernie Els roamed these broad fairways and gigantic greens a decade ago.
Four of the top six golfers in the world are here over the next four days, including No. 4 Bubba Watson and No. 6 Rickie Fowler. All four major winners in 2015 — Spieth (Masters, U.S. Open), Day (PGA) and Zach Johnson (British) — are here for the first time since 2010.
Johnson won here in 2014, holding off runner-up Spieth by a single shot, something Spieth hasn’t forgotten.
“I had a chance coming down the stretch and I’d like to kind of avenge that,” Spieth said. “Yeah it’s beautiful. It’s fantastic. We’ve had just a fantastic time this week, and I do love this golf course, love the grainy Bermuda (greens). It’s fun.
“The elevation changes, having to judge the elevation change with the wind; the ball just does some kind of crazy stuff out here. This is one that we strive to make each year. And if I am eligible to play in this tournament and I’m not (here), I hope every single one of you calls me and bashes me for it.”
Day also enjoys playing here in Hawaii and will be in the field at next week’s Sony Open in Hawaii as well. He has taken three months off, but has played 72 holes out here already and believes he’s ready to tee it up with playing partner Spieth at his side.
With a good finish here this week, Day could be No. 1 in the world next week and be the first top-ranked player to sign up for the Sony Open since Vijay Singh held off Els to win the tour event in 2005.
“I’m very motivated to get back to No. 1,” Day said Wednesday. “I’m very motivated to win as many tournaments as I can this year, and to be a more dominant player, that’s kind of the mind-set.
“Whether it happens or not, you know, we’ll see at the end of the year. But I’m going to give it a good shot. I’m going to work my tail off every single day to try to achieve that.”
Rounding out this stellar field are world No. 8 and 2013 TOC winner Dustin Johnson, and world No. 10 and defending champ Patrick Reed, who was down four shots with four holes to play before overtaking two-time defending Sony Open champ Jimmy Walker in a playoff.
“To be in a place like this, very special,” Reed said. “You don’t have very many of those views when you step up on the first tee, that’s for sure. Anytime you can come back, always means you did something well last year. And I started off the year with a win right here, which is nice and hopefully I can play some good golf this week and contend on Sunday again.”
