Golf legend says Jordan Spieth’s career decline ‘tragedy' - FOGOLF

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Gary Player says that golfer could be the best in the world, but “he just can’t hit the ball” in video.

Published Aug 15, 2025 • 2 minute read

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Jordan Spieth looks on from the ninth green during the first round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on July 31, 2025. Getty ImagesArticle content

Jordan Spieth has been to the top of the golfing world, winning three majors, capturing several awards and hitting No. 1 in the rankings.

Gary Player, a legend of the game, believes that Spieth should still be among the best in the sport, but is being held back by a part of his game — and that’s a “tragedy.”

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Player made the comments in a video posted on The Golf Supply’s YouTube channel earlier this week in which he surprised some amateurs at a driving range.

“Jordan Spieth, I think, is the best golfer in the world, but in my opinion, he was taught the wrong thing. He was taught the wrong thing. And he just went downhill,” Player said in the clip. “If you had a man like Ben Hogan teaching Jordan Spieth, he would be the best in the world.

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“He’s such a competitor, such a wonderful man. A wonderful guy for golf, the best short game, oh man, best course management, but, man, he just can’t hit the ball, ya know? That is a tragedy.“

In the 10-minute-long clip, Player gives advice to a golfer at the public driving range while also getting into the 31-year-old Spieth’s career and the “tremendous lack of knowledge” in the sport these days.

The 89-year-old Player, who nine major championships on the PGA Tour and nine more on the Champions Tour, tore into the coaching that American players are getting — specifically the bowed-wrist technique. Player told one of his students for the day that once a player does that “you’re gone” and “your golf career is limited.”

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“I would say in America today, the golf pros that are teaching know less about golf,” he said.

Spieth wasn’t the only current pro that Player took aim at, also calling out Dustin Johnson and Ricky Fowler.

“When’s the last you heard of Dustin Johnson?” he asked during the video.

It wasn’t all negative, however. Player said he holds out hope for Spieth, saying that he saw his swing recently.

“So, he might do a lot better this week,” Player said, “I’m hoping he will.”

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Over the past few years, Spieth has tumbled down the world golf rankings and currently sits at No. 52 after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he finished in a tie for 38th at 3-under par — 13 strokes behind winner Justin Rose.

Spieth has not won on the tour since taking the RBC Heritage tournament in 2022.

Since he sits outside the top 50 in the world rankings, Spieth wasn’t eligible to compete in this week’s BMW Championship.