Jordan Spieth finally silences the devil on his shoulder

The entire golfing community had vivid memories of his 2016 Masters collapse, where he let a five-shot lead slip away, and the weight of that memory loomed large as he stepped onto the 1st hole.

The challenge began with a rocky start. A wayward second shot led to an early bogey on the 1st hole, setting the stage for a tumultuous round. Spieth had to grapple with the relentless pressure of capturing The Open title.

As he faced the front nine, bogeys piled up, and the golfer who had once been known for his unshakeable putting stroke found himself struggling to find the cup.

The echoes of his Masters debacle threatened to haunt him. Spieth had repeatedly asserted that the past was behind him, but watching him struggle on that front nine, one could sense those old demons whispering in his ear.

His game was uncharacteristically inconsistent, marked by errant swings and hesitant putts. At the 5th hole, a birdie didn’t alleviate the mounting tension. It all came to a head at the 13th hole when he faced a crisis.

Spieth’s tee shot veered off course, and he ended up on the wrong side of a hill. An unplayable lie forced him to debate with officials for precious minutes, akin to the Jean van de Velde saga at Carnoustie in 1999.

It was a moment of reckoning, reminiscent of his critical error at the 12th at Augusta in 2016. But Spieth’s strength lay in his ability to find a way forward, no matter how convoluted it may be.

The defining moment arrived when Spieth summoned his inner fortitude. In the face of adversity, he clawed his way back, leaving his opponent Matt Kuchar in the dust.

His incredible performance included coming inches from a hole-in-one on the 14th, holing a 45ft putt for eagle on the 15th, sinking a 40ft birdie on the 16th, and confidently placing a wedge to six feet for a birdie on the 17th.

Throughout the day, Spieth had tried to keep his emotions in check, aiming for a neutral mindset, but in the end, his anger, desire, and energy erupted in a jubilant display.