Rory McIlroy was made to eat his words after ‘very average’ Jordan Spieth admission

Rory McIlroy’s early assessment of Jordan Spieth didn’t quite hit the mark, as just two years later, Spieth ascended to become the world’s top-ranked golfer.
At a mere 35-years-old, McIlroy is considered one of golf’s most seasoned players. The Northern Irishman has witnessed an influx of new talent in the sport over the years.

With his four major wins and a previous stint of 122 weeks as the world’s No. 1 player, one might assume that McIlroy has a keen eye for spotting future stars on the green. However, it seems that’s not always the case. In an interview with Normal Sport, McIlroy was asked which player he competed against during his rise through the ranks that he was surprised never made it professionally.

The four-time major champion named his teenage rival, Philip Francis. McIlroy remembered finishing second and third to him throughout their teenage years, but the UCLA and U.S. Junior golfer never turned pro. McIlroy also mentioned a few other names, including Jamie Lovemark, who he played with at the Walker Cup. “You just look at him, you’re like, this guy is like 6’4 and absolutely ripped and swings the club perfectly,” McIlroy said.

“I don’t know. There’s so many intangibles in golf that some guys looked like world leaders at an early age.” McIlroy reflected on his early days, mentioning his old UK and Ireland amateur rival Oliver Fisher, who played in the Walker Cup before him, earned his tour card, and won a few European tour events. Fisher’s best major finish was T32 at The Open in 2013, which was also the only major where he made the cut.

“If you would have asked anyone 20 years ago … Everyone would have said Ollie Fisher was probably going to go on to have a better career than I’ve had. It’s hard,” as he thought about the talented peers who didn’t quite make it as big as he did. Yet, when recalling his first encounter with Jordan Spieth in 2013, McIlroy admitted he initially underestimated the future star. “I remember the first time… I played with Jordan Spieth, 2013, San Antonio. And I played the first two days with him, and he missed the cut,” McIlroy recounted.

“And I’m like, ‘What is the big deal with this kid? Very average.’ And he comes on and nearly wins the grand slam two years later.” Spieth indeed rose to prominence, becoming the world’s top golfer in 2015 after clinching the Masters and U.S. Ope, finishing second in the PGA Championship, and T4 in The Open – all his best results in those majors to date. He continued his success by winning his third major at Southport in 2017.

Despite securing a spot in the top five at five major tournaments since, Spieth has struggled to expand his trophy collection. He had a rough year in all four majors this year, with his best performance being a T25 finish in The Open. In 2024, out of 22 PGA Tour events, he only managed to secure three top-10 finishes, the most recent one being a T10 place in the Valero Texas Open in July.