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Former Texas Longhorns golfer Jordan Spieth capped off a tremendous year by earning recognition from his peers at the PGA Tour Player of the Year on Friday.
Currently ranked as the No. 1 golfer in the world, the superlatives for Spieth this season are numerous. He earned a tour-record $12.03 million in earnings while winning two Grand Slams and five overall events, including the FEDEX Cup. Only five other golfers have won five or more events on the tour in a year since 1980. In winning the Masters and the US Openg, Spieth became the youngest player to win two major championships since 1922.
At The Open championship, Spieth narrowly missed a three-way playoff to finish in fourth and then placed second at the PGA Championship in failing to overcome a remarkable performance by Jason Day.
"The PGA TOUR enjoyed a sensational season from every perspective as our young stars shone brighter than ever before, but none brighter than the PGA TOUR Player of the Year Jordan Spieth," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "He captivated us throughout a memorable year that included the FedExCup and five victories, highlighted by two major championships. And the sportsmanship he displayed in both victory and defeat was a stirring indication of the role model and ambassador he has become in a very short period of time."
Most remarkably, Spieth achieved his success with an unusual amount of grace, charm, and charisma, launching himself into the stratosphere of marketable professional athletes and ensuring that not only will he have a long and successful career as a golfer, but also a long and successful career marketing products. He is golf's Golden Child, everything that Tiger Woods was supposed to be and then so notably was not.
He's also a favorite of Longhorns fans around the world after his amateur career strongly hinted at his professional future -- Spieth was the two-time US Junior Amateur Champion and helped Texas win a national championship in earning Big 12 Player of the Year and first-team All-America honors in 2012. By 2013, he earned his PGA Tour card and quickly won the John Deer Classic to become the tour's youngest winner since 1931.