Guess Who's Back...

I could use this as an opportunity to gloat, but I won't.

In fact, just a few weeks ago, I predicted that Tiger Woods could crack the top 10 at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he played poorly and missed the cut.

So I'm not going to sit here and act like I'm some sort of Golfstradomus.

However, I did nail this one, and I'm pretty excited about it.

Jordan Spieth is a winner again! 🏆

He's claimed the @ATTProAm by 4 shots.

It's his 9th career PGA TOUR victory. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/ZLAnV6fNyo

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 12, 2017

Jordan Spieth FINALLY returned to the national golf spotlight at Pebble Beach, where he secured a 4-shot victory over Kelly Kraft for his 1st win of the season.

Spieth played defensive golf all day, knowing pars were going to get him a victory. He finished the tournament with a bogey-free final round of -2 70.

And he did it with the formula I mentioned in my predictions.

Spieth wasn't hitting it near as far as some of the other guys on top of the leaderboard. And with the soggy conditions of the California coast, he got little to no rollout on his tee shots.

But he was in the fairway frequently, taking advantage of the preferred lies and lift, clean and place. He was 3rd in greens in regulation, hitting nearly 80%. And to top it all off, he tied for the lead in both birdies made and fewest bogeys. 

That is a winning formula. Hit fairways, hit greens, make birdies, and prevent bogey's.

57 of 72 GIRs for the week
Only four bogeys
9th win in 100 starts

Jordan Spieth put on a clinic at Pebble Beach.https://t.co/AGsRs6WyYm pic.twitter.com/R0Gehgyh44

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 13, 2017

Golf isn't THAT hard.

Some other good weeks came from guys who seem to always have success in the event. 

Dustin Johnson finished 5 back in solo 3rd, Brandt Sneaker finished another shot behind in solo 4th, and Jason Day and rookie-phenom Jon Rahm finished T-5th 7 back. Gary Woodland shot a Sunday-best -7 65 to also finish T-5th.

The best in the world head south to Los Angeles for the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club. The event is put on by the Tiger Woods Foundation, but Woods just withdrew from the event last week.

He has a press conference scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Many people believe he could be retiring from golf, but let's not jump to conclusions just yet. Be sure to check back in tomorrow to hear everything he had to say.

The New Conquistador?

Well that was a hell of a prediction TJ...

For those who may have missed it, Tiger Woods did not in fact make the top 10 this week at Torrey Pines. But he was soooooo close...

Not.

Woods struggled to find the fairway in his first round, and failed to take advantage of finding the fairway in the second, shooting a +4 76-72 to miss the cut by 4.

Before you jump all over me, all 3 players in this primetime grouping (including Dustin Johnson and Jason Day) missed the cut.

Jason Day and Dustin Johnson will also miss the cut. Three big names slamming their trunks in the Torrey Pines parking lot.

— Ben Higgins (@BenHigginsSD) January 27, 2017

Woods actually did a good job of avoiding the big number, only making one double-bogey. His problem was his lack of birdies, just 5 in 36 holes.

Tiger heads to Asia this week for the for the Dubai Desert Classic, an event he has won twice. We will see if he can get his season going there.

I sure hope he does.

One guy who got his season and his young career going this weekend was Spaniard Jon Rahm. Just 22-years-old out of Arizona State, the second-year pro separated himself from the field on the back 9 at Torrey Pines South, going -6 in his last 8. That included 2 birdies and 2 eagles, including this bomb that all but sealed the deal on 18.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

It doesn't get better than this. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/pTmEjJLj7N

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2017

Rahm shot a final round -7 65 to win the loaded tournament by 3 shots over the likes of former champion Brandt Snedeker, OSU-grad Charles Howell III, Justin Rose, and idol and former Sun Devil Phil Mickelson.

Many people are already calling Rahm the next big name in golf after one win. Only time will tell, but I think we need to be a little patient with a 22-year-old kid that just won his first tourney.

Rahm tees it up this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where he finished T-5th as an amateur two years ago. I'll have that preview, along with a Dubai Desert Classic preview, coming up soon.

That's all for now. Please Tiger, keep it in the short grass.