Jordan Spieth is back and this is probably his next-to-last appearance for the year.
Spieth heads the WGC-HSBC Champions field that features six of the top 10 players in the world.
Most noticeable absentee from that group is world’s No. 1 — Jason Day. The other who won’t be at the Sheshan International Golf Club are Justin Rose, Jim Furyk and Zach Johnson.
There with Spieth are Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson. Plenty of stars on hand.
The guy who may have the most motivation is McIlroy, who is currently No. 1 in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai standings. He tied for sixth last week in Turkey without making any putts to write home about. Bubba Watson was the winner at Sheshan last year. He looked as if he’d lost then holed a bunker shot for an eagle and won in a playoff over Tim Clark.
Adam Scott may have solved his putting problems that revolve around him leaving the long putter that has served him so well the past few years. He went to a “paintbrush” grip with his right hand on a short putter and it worked for him last week at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal. He finished second to Justin Thomas.
The “power pairing” the first two rounds will have Spieth playing with Henrik Stenson and Bubba Watson.
After this event, the next and final stop for Spieth in 2015 may be the Hero World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods in December.
But until then, it’s time for Spieth and the rest to get after it in China.
