Michaux: Spieth's victory had feel of inevitability

This scene plays out every year. A green jacket is presented. History is recorded. Every one of them is special in its own way.

Every once in awhile, however, the Masters Tour­na­ment provides something transformational. It reveals a champion of uncommon worth. It evokes a sense of wonder that a new era has been opened.

Jordan Spieth is that kind of champion. What the 21-year-old did the past four days was that kind of performance.

In the immediate aftermath of his record-tying, wire-to-wire victory, the size of Spieth’s accomplishment was a little beyond comprehension.

“This was arguably the greatest day of my life,” he said. “And to join the club that is the green jackets and to join Masters history and put my name on that trophy and to have this jacket forever, is something that I can’t fathom right now.”

Spieth is five months older than Tiger Woods was in 1997 when he launched his legend with a 12-stroke romp and the same 18-under total. Spieth’s victory cannot match the social significance of what Woods achieved 18 years ago. But the golf significance of the young Texan’s triumph in the sport’s most iconic event is immeasurable.

“You just cannot see this kid not win many, many majors,” Hall of Famer Ernie Els said this week.

There was a sense of inevitability about Spieth from the minute he walked off the 18th green last year after narrowly missing a chance to become the youngest Masters winner in his Augusta National debut. He spoke of bitter taste and valuable lessons and the things every Masters runner-up has said for 79 years.

Yet somehow you believed Spieth was different. You believed he could return and do what Greg Nor­man and David Duval and many other “sure things” never could. Even a media crowd conditioned to skepticism voted nearly 30 percent that Spieth would get it done instead of Rory McIlroy or other more-seasoned champions.

More than that, Spieth believed. He spent a year watching Bubba Watson wear the green jacket, knowing it could have been him.

“I knew I had a chance to win that tournament,” Spieth said of 2014, when he led Watson with 11 holes to go but let it slip. “So you get reminded of it all the time because when you’re Mas­ters champion, it’s a different legacy. And so that definitely left me hungry.”

“He wanted so badly to come back right away after last year,” said Shawn Spieth, his father.

The numbers – as crazy as they are – almost don’t do Spieth’s performance justice. His 64 was the lowest first round by a Masters champion. His 14-under was the lowest 36-hole total. His 16-under was the lowest 54-hole score. His 18-under tied Woods’ all-time mark. He was the first player in Masters history to post a red “19” on the scoreboards. His 28 birdies were three more than Phil Mickelson’s record in 2001.

Yet Spieth three-putted officially three times, plus twice more from the fringes. But every time he wobbled, he bounced back. Nobody got closer than three strokes to him since the first round. His peers filed out one after another repeating the same refrain – “He doesn’t have a weakness.”

“Jordan didn’t help any of us trying to catch him,” said Mickelson, whose 14-under would have won all but five previous Mas­­ters. “I’ve played really well to shoot 14-under, and I just simply got outplayed by a young player who just played some incredible golf.”

Spieth is 21 years, 8 months and 16 days old and has played eight career Masters rounds – leading after five of them. Eighteen years ago, Jack Nicklaus predicted that Woods would win more green jackets than he and Arnold Palmer combined (10). Considering his record thus far, it’s not a stretch to think Spieth might win more than Woods and Mickel­son combined (seven so far).

Spieth is already thinking ahead to the next step.

“I want to be like Bubba. I want to win two Masters,” he said. “I’m excited for the opportunity ahead this year to be the reigning Masters champion. I know that’s going to carry a heavy weight with it.”

Spieth seems well-equipped for it. He’s mature beyond his years, with a 14-year-old special needs sister, Ellie, who is the light of his life and his most humbling influence. Ellie was born with a neurological disorder that places her on the autism spectrum. He speaks about her with tremendous love and respect.

“It puts everything in perspective in life,” his father said.

Spieth looked forward to speaking with his sister, who stayed home with family friends.

“I’m sure she was watching and was excited when she saw how happy I was with (our) family there at the end,” Spieth said. “Probably got a little jealous at that point. But she’s just going to be happy that I won. … She was out there in Houston (last week) and after each round, she said, ‘Jordan, did you win? Did you win?’ And I said, ‘Not yet … not yet … no.’ I can tell her I won now.”

In a way, we all won. Golf won. Spieth has been a rising star since he was a teenager. Now he’s a Masters champion before his college teammates at Texas have completed what would have been his senior season.

“This is as great as it gets in our sport,” Spieth said.

And compared to most, this was as great as it gets at the Masters.