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Is Spieth Who Everyone Hoped Rickie Was?

Fowler is more marketable in my opinion. However, Spieth is definitely ahead of schedule with his game.
 
I think a better comparison would be Ty Tryon, at least Rickie has been earning his money, Ty did absolutely nothing and had hype beyond belief.
 
I think Spieth has the ability to excite both younger and older golfers in a way that Fowler (and his sponsor) can't. Spieth almost seems like an old-school professional with his reliance on things other than pure bomb-and-gouge distance and calmer fashion choices. Even at only 37, I find myself connecting with Jordan a whole lot more as a fan than I can manage with Rickie or Rory to a lesser degree. I remember thinking yesterday how nice it was that Jordan wasn't dressed as a highlighter.
 
Here's something I just realized, Rickie, Jordan, and Rory are not very tall young men. I'm not sure why, but that intrigues me.
 
I wouldn't classify what Rickie has/hasn't done as disappointment or that Spieth is what everyone thought Rickie would be.

Rickie while only having one win, went more than a year without a swing coach after his long time coach passed. He finally accepted that he was gone and needed to move on and has since started working with Butch. If you look at what he has done since that time with top 5 in all majors this year, and a few strokes away from that again this year he is as good as many of the "stars" on tour.

Spieth and Fowler have different personalities and different marketing around them. How many golfers have hit their stride later in life and have become successful. Mickelson was 34 iirc when he won his first major.

i think both rickie and jordan will have long successful careers on tour.
 
I think the great thing for golf and especially american golf is we have two young guns like them leading the way, regardless of which one is ahead of another!
 
I would not call Fowler a failure by any definition of the word. He finished top-5 in all four majors last year. He has a PGA Tour win under his belt. He is one of the faces of the PGA and by any account that I have seen one of the most fan-friendly. All by the age of 25.

When did it become that you had to have multiple wins and some majors by the time most people are just getting their feet wet in the "real world" to not be considered a failure?

Spieth is shining brightly right now. He is a better player than Fowler is right now. There is no arguing that. But to call Fowler a "failure" in any way is 100% an issue with the person calling him that. It's mind-bogglingly ridiculous.
 
Trout Bum said:
I think a better comparison would be Ty Tryon, at least Rickie has been earning his money, Ty did absolutely nothing and had hype beyond belief.
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Didn't Tryon try to join the tour when he was still in high school? I mean, at least Rickie and Jordan played some college golf.
 
Mystery Meat said:
Honestly : with Fowler's talents , I would say his career is kinda a failure to this point. Very similar to Sergio. Unlimited talent but little to show for it

jordan has the whole package
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I thought this exact thing watching him play Augusta this past weekend....so much talent but there is something missing....

Sergios iron striking is one of, if not the best on tour....but just cant bring everything together when needed....
 
blugold said:
Here's something I just realized, Rickie, Jordan, and Rory are not very tall young men. I'm not sure why, but that intrigues me.
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Spieth is 6'1'' he's not DJ but he's pretty tall. Same height as Tiger.
 
Does it matter that I did not ever have big expectations for Mr. Fowler? I would say last years performances exceeded my expectations for him.
 
blugold said:
Really. He looked shorter.
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He's pretty stocky for a golfer. But he doesn't quite look that tall to me. Maybe a qbs 6'1''
 
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ddec said:
Does it matter that I did not ever have big expectations for Mr. Fowler? I would say last years performances exceeded my expectations for him.
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I'm always surprised at the comments about his high expectations. I mean, I saw all the commercials, but to me those were more about capturing a feeling or pointing out how cool he was rather than his impending domination of the PGA Tour.

But, I don't pay attention that much. Maybe I remember them incorrectly.
 
Wake said:
He's pretty stocky for a golfer. But he doesn't quite look that tall to me. Head be a qbs 6'1''
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6'1" & 185 isn't stocky. IMO he's of medium to thin build. TV adds a few lb's.
 
Hawk said:
I'm always surprised at the comments about his high expectations. I mean, I saw all the commercials, but to me those were more about capturing a feeling or pointing out how cool he was rather than his impending domination of the PGA Tour.

But, I don't pay attention that much. Maybe I remember them incorrectly.
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Exactly how I remember. I don't remember the talk of him being a dominate force on the course. I know he was talked about having a lot of talent, but hell there are lots of guys on tour who have a lot of talent.
 
ShanksaloT said:
I thought this exact thing watching him play Augusta this past weekend....so much talent but there is something missing....

Sergios iron striking is one of, if not the best on tour....but just cant bring everything together when needed....
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I don't think it's quite fair to call Sergio a failure either. They are probably close to the same number of top 10 major finishes. And at least Sergio won at Sawgrass... that's almost a major. The difference is Sergio's been around longer.
 
Blazer said:
6'1" & 185 isn't stocky. IMO he's of medium to thin build. TV adds a few lb's.
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If he still only weighs 185, I bet he is under 6 foot. He definitely isn't stocky j general, but for a golfer he seems to have some thickness to him. Maybe it's just me. But he looked closer to 200.
 
huhhh said:
I don't think it's quite fair to call Sergio a failure either. They are probably close to the same number of top 10 major finishes. And at least Sergio won at Sawgrass... that's almost a major. The difference is Sergio's been around longer.
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Absolutely. In one breath the idea that Tiger Woods doesnt win a major in this comeback, but the Players is just as good and the next thread, Sergio is a failure for despite winning the Players.
 
I think comparing the two is a big pile of what have you done for me lately. Yes, golf is always going to be about the most recent major, but you don't exactly trip & fall and accidentally get top-5 finishes in four straight majors, or stay in the top-15 of the OWGR.

If Rickie wins the US Open, do we have this conversation in the opposite direction? If Patrick Reed wins the US Open, does he surpass them both?

Just enjoy some great golf being played by some outstanding Americans who are still in their 20's. We have another decade-plus of these guys to look forward to. Figuring where they all shake out is still years away.
 
TripleBogieTim said:
Spieth has gone from the 809th ranked player in the world with no status on the PGA tour to the Master's Champion and #2 in the world in just over 2 and a half years.

He has left Rickie in his dust.
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Ricky has had a pretty impressive year in the majors though, I think speith has just outplayed him overall
 
JB said:
Absolutely. In one breath the idea that Tiger Woods doesnt win a major in this comeback, but the Players is just as good and the next thread, Sergio is a failure for despite winning the Players.
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I can see a comparison between Rickie and Sergio solely on the basis of "perceived talent level not equaling wins on tour" with the emphasis on perceived. I do not see either as a failure though. Both are legitimate stars in golf.

If someone feels the need to segment star levels? Fine, both are second-level stars then. That's not anything to be ashamed of. There are lots of professional golfers that would hope to sniff that level of stardom for even one week. Both of these guys are among the elite of golfers. Both of them are part of the team competitions that only take the best of the best from their respective countries/regions. How is that being a "failure" in any way?
 
huhhh said:
I don't think it's quite fair to call Sergio a failure either. They are probably close to the same number of top 10 major finishes. And at least Sergio won at Sawgrass... that's almost a major. The difference is Sergio's been around longer.
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I never called Sergio a "failure" and I am sorry if I came off that way....he is an amazingly talented golfer....

There are plenty of players who have one tournaments under immense pressure and you can call those "almost a major" - but they aren't.....
 
Spieth is a different animal. You can tell he is confident in his game on the course, and the way he conducts himself in interviews. IMO Ricky is a lot of 'sizzle'. He's an Ian Poulter with slightly more talent... just the media tried to crown him as the next american prodigy. I hope i'm wrong, but i think Ricky will be known more for his uncreased hat than his golf game. I would love to see Ricky do well (win a couple of majors), but i just don't see it happening... the window closes fast fast in the PGA unless you are a superstar. I don't think that Ricky is a superstar.
 
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