Jordan Spieth surprised many as a rookie in 2013. Arriving as a prodigy on his maiden PGA Tour, he lived up to expectations and bagged the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013 and the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2015.
He soon became one of the most celebrated American golfers since Tiger Woods. The professional golfer has represented the USA in numerous competitions and earned his position as a potential GOAT.
Spieth’s accolades are well known and lauded by many. Spieth. The player is often praised by many for his grounded and mature character. Like many of his fans claim, the athlete is an exceptional person both on and off the course. On that note, here are five things you likely did not know about Jordan Spieth.
Some unknown facts about Jordan Spieth
5) Spieth comes from a family of athletes
Not many know that Jordan Spieth comes from a long line of athletes. However, he is the only golfer in his family. Jordan’s father was a baseball player, while his mother and brother played basketball at university.
Spieth initially took after his father and showed an interest in baseball. However, he gave it up after realizing his potential in golf. After carving out a career path in golf, Spieth never played baseball again. Even today, he follows football more than baseball.
4) He runs a charity
The golfer is the founder of the Jordan Spieth Charitable Fund. The inspiration for the charity came from his younger sister Ellie, who suffers from an undiagnosed neurological disorder.
Ellie’s disorder on the autism spectrum left her developmentally challenged and made it challenging for her to interact effectively. Jordan, who is close to Ellie, runs the charity to raise awareness and money for kids with special needs, including those from junior golf and military families.
3) He married his childhood sweetheart
Jordan Spieth married his long-time girlfriend Annie Verret in November 2018. Not many know that the couple have been together since high school. Jordan and Verret grew up in Dallas, where the two attended high school together. While Verrett attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Spieth attended The University of Texas at Austin.
However, the couple kept their relationship afloat despite being in different universities. Following her graduation, Verrett began working as an event coordinator. She took up the job at The First Tee of Greater Dallas, a golf-based organization that aims to improve children’s lives. She was even on site for Spieth’s 2015 Masters triumph.
The duo got engaged on Christmas Eve 2017 and tied the knot the following year.
2) Jordan Spieth - A teenage superstar
Jordan Spieth has accomplishments that Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Rory McIlroy do not have. Spieth won his first PGA Tour event as a 19-year-old. The then-teenage prodigy holed a bunker shot on the final hole of regulation at the 2013 John Deere Classic. He got into the playoffs and won, defeating David Hearn and Zach Johnson.
The win came just two weeks ahead of his 20th birthday. With the victory, Spieth became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in 82 years. He followed Ralph Guldahl, who won the 1931 Santa Monica.
Following his win, Spieth went on to grab second place at the 2013 Puerto Rico Open. He eventually won his maiden Major at The Masters in 2015. He tied Tiger Woods' 270 total in 1997, making him the second-youngest man in history to win a Green Jacket after Woods. Spieth had become a superstar by then.
1) The golfer once caught a shark
While Jordan Spieth’s golfing achievements are exceptional, he also has a few unique stories outside the golf course. In 2015, Spieth visited the Bahamas with some friends. He went snorkeling and decided to go fishing, catching a tuna and a shark.
Spieth, while speaking in an interview, revealed that he got hooked with tuna within 45 minutes to an hour. Things spiced up when a shark arrived at the scene. According to the golfer, the captain of his boat tried to scare off the shark. But the scare tactics failed, and the shark ate the tuna on Spieth’s hook. In the process, it hooked itself.
However, the ace golfer let the shark loose as there was no space at the back of the boat.
Jordan Spieth is an interesting personality both on and off course. One of the richest athletes in golf, he earns around $1.6 million in salary/ winnings and over $26 million in endorsements. At only 29, it is safe to say that Spieth has had an illustrious career already.