Texas Ranger Spieth will continue to be a major obstacle

The first thing you notice about the 2017 Open champion is that not much is really noticeable. Jordan Spieth is tall, but not too tall. And he’s a fresh-faced, good-looking lad. But Hollywood probably wouldn’t give him a second glance.

In his early twenties, the champion golfer of the year’s hairline is already receding, a fact he is clearly aware of. When he takes off his cap to shake hands at the end of every competitive round, the first thing he does is pat down the hair he has left.

The best thing about Spieth, however, is his unfailing politeness and humility, without ever appearing either false or gushy. The presence of his younger sister, Ellie, in his life surely has much to do with that admirable quality. The teenager has special needs in life – she was born with a neurological disorder - and has given her brother a perspective unfamiliar to many of the PGA Tour’s spoiled and pampered elite.