PGA Tour star offers telling verdict on Jordan Spieth emulating Rory McIlroy feat

Jordan Spieth could be the next player to complete the career Grand Slam after Rory McIlroy’s historic Masters triumph, and Tom Kim believes it would be ‘astronomical’

Tom Kim has admitted that it would be “astronomical” for golf if Jordan Spieth could emulate Rory McIlroy by completing the career Grand Slam at the upcoming PGA Championship.

McIlroy recently etched his name into the annals of golf history by clinching his fifth major championship with a win at the Masters, ending an 11-year drought. In a nail-biting final round, the Northern Irishman outlasted Bryson DeChambeau and ultimately edged out Justin Rose in a playoff to secure the title.

By triumphing at the Masters and appearing on The Tonight Show last Thursday, McIlroy joined an elite group of only six players to have achieved the Grand Slam, a club that includes the likes of Tiger Woods, who was among the first to congratulate him.

However, this exclusive circle might soon welcome its seventh member, as Spieth stands just one PGA Championship short of securing all four major titles.

His next opportunity to claim the missing piece of his Grand Slam puzzle will be at Quail Hollow in two weeks during the season’s second major.

Speaking at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this week, three-time PGA Tour victor Kim weighed in on the significance of Spieth potentially joining McIlroy and others in this rare feat.

He said: “It would be astronomical for the game of golf. I really do believe that, to be able to have two career grand slams in one year.

“We’ve only had — is it only five — is it six now? I think Jordan again being such a big face of the game of golf would be really good for us, for the PGA Tour. I think he’s seeing Rory do it for sure is going to motivate him more to get it done in Charlotte.”

With his last major win at The Open Championship in 2017, besting American Matt Kuchar for the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale, Jordan Spieth edged closer to the coveted career Grand Slam with just the PGA Championship eluding him.

Spieth, having participated seven times since that victory without clinching the title, made his nearest bid two years after his Open triumph, landing tied for third in 2019, trailing Ryder Cup teammate Brooks Koepka by six strokes.

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Although his form hasn’t quite hit the heights of his remarkable three-major spree over two years, the 31 year old Texan has been showing solid performance recently, earning two top-10s and top-20 finishes this season, and kicking off his majors with a tied-14th placement at Augusta.

This week finds Spieth competing on home turf as he leads the charge at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament, sharing the spotlight with world No. 1 and fellow Texan Scottie Scheffler.