Jordan Spieth approaches the 18th green at Augusta National with a commanding lead. The crowd roars, chanting his name. He pauses to tie his shoelace as the sun dips behind the Georgia pines.

This was the moment Spieth had envisioned, a lifelong dream unfolding at the 2015 Masters. Yet, in reality, he was simply eager for it to be over.

`I was almost rushing to finish instead of savoring the moment,` he reflects. `You`d think you`d want it to last, but after carrying the tournament lead from day one, I was just ready for the pressure to be completely off.`

Indeed, the final hole footage reveals Spieth`s fidgeting and hair adjustments. His second-to-last putt, described by CBS commentator Nick Faldo as his `worst stroke of the week,` veered right from five feet. He tapped in, embraced his caddie, Michael Greller, and then was enveloped in hugs from family. His grandfather whispered, `I wanted to be here for this.` Encouraged by his parents to acknowledge the cheering spectators, Spieth briefly turned, offered a few claps, and then quickly exited.

It was over in an instant. Spieth shook hands with waiting caddies, proceeded to scoring, and moments later, found himself in Butler Cabin. Facing club chairman Billy Payne, he declared his new ambition: to become a two-time champion like Bubba Watson, the 2014 victor poised to present him with the green jacket.

A two-time champion. At 21, he had been a one-time champion for barely thirty minutes.

A decade later, Spieth remains a single-time Masters winner, bearing the marks of a career that hasn`t fully aligned with early expectations. Reflecting on that final hole, Spieth chuckles at the hurried pace of it all.

`I hope to have another chance like that,` Spieth admits. `And perhaps approach it differently.`

It`s hard to exaggerate Spieth`s brilliance in 2015 and the captivating nature of his play. As Tiger Woods` dominance waned, Spieth, alongside Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, emerged as leading figures. Spieth, however, was notably younger, signaling a potentially once-in-a-generation talent akin to Woods.

Beyond results, Spieth`s appeal lay in his artistry on the course. Unlike Vijay Singh`s statistical dominance, Spieth`s game was visually exciting. Not a prodigious driver, he excelled in the more telegenic aspects: imaginative short game around the greens and sinking putts from all distances.

He shaped approach shots around obstacles, holed out from bunkers in crucial moments, and combined errant drives with improbable recoveries and clutch par putts.

`Jordan Spieth chips in more than anyone I`ve ever witnessed,` remarked two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange. `People called Tom Watson lucky, but repeated success isn`t luck. It`s intentional.`

Ben Crenshaw, a two-time Masters winner and Spieth`s mentor, likened his youthful approach to Wyatt Earp, the Wild West legend.

`He has a gunslinger`s mentality,` Crenshaw observed. `He`s bold and takes risks.`

Spieth possessed a certain magnetism, a charm. He displayed class, like waiting to congratulate Zach Johnson after missing the 2015 British Open playoff. Yet, he was also mischievous, famously pranking Justin Thomas by relocating his car, causing Thomas a `panic attack` that Spieth found `worth it.`

In 2015, Spieth topped money earnings, scoring average, and top-10 finishes. Analytics website Data Golf ranked his season as the ninth-best on the PGA Tour since 1983, with only two seasons in the top eight achieved by players other than Tiger Woods.

`Spieth began as the next Tiger,` Matt Courchene of Data Golf noted. `By 2015`s end, at just 22, he was ahead of Tiger`s early career trajectory, which is remarkable.`

The Masters was the pinnacle. After a runner-up finish as a rookie, Spieth entered his second Masters having achieved top-two finishes in his preceding three tournaments. Opening with 64-66, he set a new 36-hole Masters record. Spieth recalls two key memories from that start.

First, a Thursday bogey on the 15th after overhitting a hybrid, costing him a potential 61 or 62.

Second, a sense of clarity on Friday evening as he saw his weekend position, a feeling of inevitability.

`I thought, “This is mine now,”` he recalled. `Mine to win or lose.`

He led by three after round one, five after round two. A Saturday 70, highlighted by a remarkable flop shot and par save on 18, extended his lead to four. That evening, he relaxed with the comedy `Forgetting Sarah Marshall,` and prepared to make history.

Sunday saw Justin Rose`s valiant effort to challenge Spieth, but he remained distant. `It felt like he`d led for a month,` Rose remarked. Spieth, after his rushed final green moment, lingered slightly longer at the post-round press conference.

After numerous questions, the moderator asked Spieth for a routine birdies-and-bogeys summary. As deadlines loomed, many journalists began to leave.

However, Spieth diligently, even enthusiastically, detailed every hole of his final round for nearly 20 minutes and 2,593 words, explaining how he `conquered my favorite tournament in the world.`

It was a coronation, seemingly the start of a long reign. His U.S. Open victory that June fueled Grand Slam aspirations. While he didn`t win the British Open or PGA Championship, his top-five finishes cemented his dominance. Ending the year with five wins, the FedEx Cup, and numerous accolades, he appeared to be the future of golf in the post-Tiger era. Given Augusta National`s perfect fit for his game, further Masters wins seemed inevitable, perhaps multiple.

But it didn`t unfold that way. Instead of ascending, Spieth`s career entered a period of volatility, with flashes of brilliance interspersed with inconsistency, resembling a magician capable of stunning tricks but lacking a consistent, captivating show.

At the 2017 British Open, Spieth`s errant tee shot on the 13th in the final round seemed disastrous, landing in Royal Birkdale`s dunes after hitting a spectator.

Yet, after a penalty drop, Spieth remarkably saved bogey and then surged with a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie run, securing a three-shot victory.

This marked his third major title and a season statistically close to his stellar 2015.

However, it would be his last tournament win for almost four years.

Pinpointing the reasons for Spieth`s slump is complex. Golf is unpredictable, and history is filled with periods of brilliance followed by more ordinary performance.

Unlike some struggling players, Spieth retained his caddie and long-time coach, Cameron McCormick. However, McCormick noted Spieth`s swing adjustments in 2019, which deviated from their established principles.

`I became more of a secondary coach,` McCormick said. `He became less focused on ball control, the foundation of his success.`

Swing indecision impacted other areas. While driving variance was always present, his once-reliable putting faltered, adding mental pressure.

Consistently a top putter from 2015-2017, he plummeted to 123rd in strokes-gained putting in 2017-18 and further down in subsequent seasons.

`Spieth`s short putting is now poor,` says analyst Courchene. `While not necessarily the yips, the data shows clear issues.`

Whether the low point was an 81 at Riviera in 2019, a year-long top-10 drought, or a Ryder Cup game collapse, the overall trend is clear. Ten wins from 2015-2017 dwindled to two since 2018. After 26 weeks as world No. 1, he dropped to 92nd and currently ranks 65th.

`When you feel stuck, faking it in golf is tough,` Spieth admitted.

Data Golf`s ranking system shows Spieth`s performance through 2017 rivaled golf legends, but since then, it aligns more with solid pros, not superstars.

Regardless of the cause, the outcome is evident: Spieth has been statistically average. For someone with his early major wins, `average` signifies underachievement.

`His strokes gained total is roughly half of what it was from 2013-2017,` Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee noted. `A significant difference from his major-winning peak.`

Spieth acknowledges this, aware that occasional victories don`t fulfill the promise of 2015. He hasn`t won a PGA Tour event in three years.

`If you`d told me in 2015 where I`d be in ten years,` Spieth reflects, `it`s not quite what I`d have hoped for.`

Yet, despite challenges, faith in his Masters potential persists. Each April, pre-tournament discussions and betting patterns focus on Spieth`s Augusta prospects. The Masters remains a symbol of hope for Spieth, an annual belief unmatched for players of his current level.

As Spieth returns to Augusta, the question remains:

Why might this year be different?

Spieth`s voice changes when discussing Augusta National, reflecting warmth and familiarity. Like reminiscing about formative college experiences, Augusta is Spieth`s special place. (He first tied for second there at age 20.)

`I feel comfortable there because I know I don`t need my absolute best to compete,` he says. `I`ve birdied every hole out there.`

While technically not true in tournaments (he`s yet to birdie the 11th in Masters play), the sentiment holds. Augusta is a course of highs and lows for him.

There are difficult memories: a final-round 75 in 2017, a jarring opening chip in 2024, and the 2016 meltdown where he lost a five-shot lead on the back nine.

Yet, statistically, Spieth outperforms expectations at Augusta, scoring about a stroke better per round than predicted. His strengths in iron play and around the green are ideal for the course.

The question is whether he can still perform to that level.

Doubts exist, fueled by recent missed cuts. But belief remains, supported by a third place finish in 2021 and fourth in 2023. Spieth emphasizes a turning point at the end of last season when he addressed a wrist injury that had lingered since 2018. Surgery followed in August 2024.

Post-surgery, he avoided hitting balls for three months and full rounds for another month, focusing on swing fundamentals reminiscent of his earlier successes. `Not swing changes, but a reset to my DNA, the advantageous elements I`d drifted from,` he explained.

Now, Spieth reports being healthy and confident at 31, feeling both seasoned and rejuvenated. His Augusta National knowledge is unparalleled.

Sports analyst Justin Ray notes the Masters` unique favor to long-term participants, with a smaller field and consistent venue. Spieth`s early Masters success ensures he`ll be a perennial Masters storyline.

History offers hope. Fred Couples contended in his 50s and made the cut at 63. Jack Nicklaus tied for sixth at 58. Four players have won green jackets a decade apart, including Crenshaw, whose 11-year gap between wins inspires Spieth.

Smylie Kaufman, a former pro, and Spieth discuss managing the mental challenges of career fluctuations.

`I told him his second act isn`t over,` Kaufman shared. `The world is waiting to see what he`ll achieve.`

Spieth envisions sharing stories of his early successes with his children, but his Augusta hopes are for them to witness something even more significant, a moment to be savored and remembered.

`I recall both the good and bad memories vividly,` Spieth reflects. `And it reinforces that this is still my favorite tournament – how can I create more memories here?`