Flamboyant Jordan Spieth. Sunday night in Augusta, the Texan rose to the level of Tiger Woods in the history books of golf.

Jordan Spieth receives the legendary green jacket from Bubba Watson, winner of the 2014 Master

Jordan Spieth is given the legendary green jacket by Bubba Watson, winner of the 2014 Master - Credit: © Getty Images

By winning the Masters at 21, he became the youngest winner of the legendary event, at the same age as… the Tiger, in 1997. At least as strong: with a final score of -18, he equaled the best score of the tournament held so far by… Tiger Woods. And yet, Spieth could even have beaten this record if he hadn't missed his last putt by 1,20 m at hole 18.

However, he should easily get over it. The new world No.2 also achieved what current world No.1 Rory McIlroy had been unable to accomplish at the same age four years earlier. The two players were four strokes ahead at the start of the last round. The Northern Irishman then literally exploded by returning a card of 80 (+8) where the American played solid golf from start to finish, leaving no hope for his prestigious pursuers. Because the final leaderboard has good looks; Mickelson and Rose second, McIlroy fourth, 10 Grand Slam titles between them!

This success was ultimately almost predictable. Spieth, for his first participation in the Masters, had already finished second last year behind the fantastic Bubba Watson. Above all, he has dominated world golf since the start of the year. In his last four tournaments he has finished 1er, 2e, 2e and 1er what constitutes a hallucinating series in a sport as random as golf. A bit like what Tiger Woods was doing in the days of his splendor, or even Rory McIlroy's incredible hat-trick last summer (consecutive winner of two Majors and a world championship).

Dominated by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson since the turn of the century, world golf is changing with the arrival of its two new stars, McIlroy and Spieth. A duel that promises to be particularly promising, if only because of the style opposition between the two players. Much like Prost and Senna in F1, Nadal and Federer (or Borg-McEnroe) in tennis, each sport has known or is enjoying its heyday thanks to this type of rivalry and contrast at the highest level. The best driver in the world (McIlroy) against the best putter in the world (Spieth), power against consistency, Europe against the United States, golf could be the big beneficiary of a new fight at the top. And attract new followers around the world ...

Frank Crudo