Jordan Spieth - 13 things you should know about "the potential next Tiger Woods"

#1 His family are a big part of his success

His father played college baseball whilst his mother played basketball. He got into golf when his mum brought him plastic clubs as a toddler so he could distract himself while his younger brother could be looked after without distraction.

His younger brother, Steven, grew up to be 6ft 6ins tall and one of the best college basketball players in the US.

Spieth credits much of his success to his sister, Ellie, seven years his junior. She has a neurological disorder that puts her on the autism spectrum and she inspired her brother to set up the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation, which raises money for young people with special needs, military families, and junior golf. "Being Ellie's brother humbles me every day of my life," he says.

#2 His caddie, Michael Greller was a Maths teacher

Spieth’s caddy, Michael Greller, used to be a full-time maths teacher but scrapped the algebra for golf clubs after offering to caddy for an amateur for free. He then put Greller in touch with Spieth who was looking for a caddy in a amateur competition and the duo hit it off straight away

The two hooked up at the 2011 U.S. Junior Amateur, where they won. The next year, Spieth finished as low amateur at the U.S. Open and they've been a pair ever since. Before working with Spieth, incidentally, Greller caddied at Chambers Bay, site of Spieth's U.S. Open victory in 2015.

#3 Exceptional as a junior golfer

Spieth’s record as an amateur is up there with the best. His victories at the U.S. Junior Amateur championships in 2009 and 2011 meant he joined Tiger Woods as the only male to win the tournament twice.

He won the individual title and team title at the NCAA Division 1 Golf Championships in 2012. He played for the University of Texas Longhorns. He earned low amateur status at the U.S. Open in 2012, and at the end of the year the 19-year-old turned professional

He even got his predictions right as a junior. He predicted his future Masters success as a 14 year old:

#4 He is dating his high school love, Annie Verrett

Jordan and his long-time girlfriend, Texas Tech alumna Annie Verrett, have been together through it all. Growing up in the Dallas area, the two attended high school together where they first began their relationship.

Verrett attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, where she was a business major with a 4.0 GPA and member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. Meanwhile, Spieth attended The University of Texas at Austin.

The couple maintained their relationship through her graduation. Verrett now works as an event coordinator at The First Tee of Greater Dallas, an organization which uses golf to improve the lives of children. She regularly follows Spieth at his events and was on site for his 2015 Masters triumph.

#5 Top on-course American money maker in Golf

Career earnings are now $28m after winning the AT &T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach last week.

For the first time in the 13 years of the Golf Digest Top Earners list, Tiger Woods was not No. 1 in 2015. That honor belonged to Spieth, who pulled in over $50 million that year. He fell back to No. 5 in 2017 after only winning twice in comparison to Rory McIlroy’s big FedEx Cup payday.

#6 His swing isn’t exactly textbook

Spieth's swing, in the words of coach Cameron McCormick, is a classic example of "function over form." He favors an unconventional variation of the overlapping grip, and the position of his left arm through impact isn't something teachers would suggest you emulate. Except that it works.

#7 His first love was Baseball

Spieth says baseball was his sport of choice initially, but at age 13 he decided he needed to focus solely on his golf if he were to really reach his potential. "That was the hardest day of my life," he said.

He had two of his front teeth knocked out at a Texas Rangers game. As a four-year-old, Spieth went for a catch that came into the crowd, lost it in the lights and the ball hit him in the mouth.

His favorite sport now outside of golf is football.

#8 He was always destined for greatness

The Spieth family name can be translated to “successful” or “speedy” in Middle High German (an ancient form of the German language). Jordan has certainly risen to great heights in golf quickly.

Steven Spieth, Jordan’s younger brother, didn’t miss out on the athletic genes. He plays basketball for Brown University.

This isn’t just some bench-warmer, either. In two years with the Bears, Steven has started 59 of 60 games, averaging 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. Early in his sophomore year, he dropped a career-high 21 against Illinois, a team that flirted with making the NCAA tournament.

#9 First teenager to win on the PGA Tour in 82 years

He Holed A Bunker Shot On The Final Hole Of Regulation At The 2013 John Deere Classic To Get Into A Playoff, where he won. His victory, two weeks before his 20th birthday at the John Deere Classic, meant he was the first teenager since Ralph Guldahl at the 1931 Santa Monica to win a PGA Tour event.

The opportunity to play at the John Deere Classic came courtesy of an ace en route to a second place at the 2013 Puerto Rico Open, which got him into the field the next week at Tampa Bay, where another top 10 finish then earned his PGA Tour card

#10 He has an Under Armour contact until 2025 and also endorses Coca-Cola

Jordan Spieth with Under Armour CEO, Kevin Plank at the Fast Comapany Innovation Festival in 2016

Jordan will make more money even without adding new sponsors. Under Armour will unveil a Spieth clothing line and its long-term deal with him protects him in terms of earnings growth of the company.

The contract requires two to three days a year for photo shoots, commercials and personal appearances. At 22, there is every reason to believe he will be a star for years. That's why Under Armour signed him ­at what was "a Tiger-like premium" 10-year-deal.

Coca Cola is no stranger to golf. Bobby Jones starred in an advertising campaign for Coca-Cola in 1947, and serves as the presenting sponsor of the Tour Championship.

“As a Coca-Cola brand ambassador, I'm excited to be growing awareness for the sport of golf globally and engaging with fans in exciting new ways. I love that Coca-Cola has always been associated with iconic sporting events and some of the world’s greatest athletes.”

- Jordan Spieth

Here’s Jordan’s very own Coca-Cola advertisement:

#11 He has nice houses

In 2015, Spieth made a significant 7,400 square-foot purchase. The Dallas golfer bought a home in Preston Hollow that includes five bedrooms, 5.5 baths, a 288-bottle wine closet, a media room, a game room an office and a pool. As for a trophy case, the dimensions may not be set yet.

His newest house, an $7.1 million megamansion, that is 10,000 square feet, has a 12-car underground garage, indoor basketball court, pool, golf-simulator room, grill room and wine cellar. Spieth purchased fellow golfer Hunter Mahan's old digs in January 2016. .

Take a virtual tour inside his house:

#12 He’s battled a shark for 21 hours

Spieth explained at the 2015 John Deere Classic that he spent 2 1/2 hours battling a tuna and then a shark. Spieth had gone to the Bahamas with some friends and after snorkeling, they decided to throw in a few fishing line. He got hooked with a tuna for 45 minutes to an hour. As he battled with the tuna, the captain of the boat had to scare off sharks trying to eat it. After a break, Spieth came back and finally reeled it in.

"In total it was two and a half hours, and what surfaced was like a 12-foot long, 300-pound black tip shark that had eaten this tuna and then had hooked itself, so I guess I caught both in one because I got that shark," Spieth said. "But there was no room for the fish and dames on the back of the boat so we couldn't pull it on."

#13 He’s had the Same Scotty Cameron By Titleist 009 model since he was 15 years old

Spieth was drawn to the flat stick because two of his favorite golfers when he was growing up -- Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy -- used the same model.

He says he loves the character the putter has. Even though the putter has gone from having a triple black finish to being naturally rusted, he says he loves the solid feel of the putter. The putter even has a nick on top of it but he stays away from tinkering with that one piece of his equipment.