Leave Mufasa aside, there’s a new “Lion King” in town after Jordan Spieth became the new ruler of the Quail Hollow Club.
In doing so, the 29-year-old became only the sixth player in Presidents Cup history to win five points in a single event and the first American since Jim Furyk in 2011.
As Spieth partnered with Justin Thomas in the first four rounds of team games, the duo swept international pairs with Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott to carve out a four-point lead going into Sunday’s singles match-ups.
No American team had won the tournament four straight years since Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker in 2009, an achievement sweetened by Thomas and Spieth’s childhood friendship.
And if your teammate’s only complaint is that you gave them almost nothing to putt, chances are you had a pretty good round.
“I played two matches and hit 10 putts. I think that’s pretty absurd,” Thomas told reporters on Saturday.
“I’m right in thinking I picked up my coin more when I hit putts, so yeah my partner is pretty good.”
After a regal display of putting, it was only fitting that Spieth marked his arrival on first tee Sunday with a tribute to the Lion King.
Spieth picked up his son Sammy from his wife Annie and held the earmuff with the toddler over his head in a near-perfect rendition of the opening scenes of the 1994 Disney classic to the roar of the Presidents Cup audience.
“That was super cool,” said Spieth. “He’s finally old enough to just look around and take in everything and be interested in everything.
“Luckily he loves the earmuffs because it was noisy out here.”
“I want to get that monkey off my back”
Despite his new status as the “Lion King,” Spieth batted off Australia’s Cameron Davis with a self-proclaimed monkey on his back: Incredibly, Spieth had never won a singles game in the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.
After losing three consecutive Presidents Cup singles fights from 2013 to 2017, Spieth was not selected for the 2019 event, where Woods inspired a dramatic American comeback. Three years later, the absence still hurts.
“It sucked,” Spieth said before this year’s trophy. “I remember it was a really difficult point.
“I’ve hated every second of it because I know how fun they are and I know how beneficial these weeks, these games, are for how you’re going to play individually next year.”
With four straight birdies after the turn, Spieth ended his losing streak in decisive fashion against Davis as his 4 & 3 win secured the American team their first single point of the day.
“I was more nervous today than I probably should have been just because I want to get that monkey off my back,” he said.
“It feels really good. When you go out early, like I’ve done pretty much every team event on a Sunday, they’re looking for red on the board and it feels good to finally provide that.”
Hours later, Xander Schauffele rolled home to seal the team’s 17.5-12.5 victory, prompting celebrations on the 18th hole.
Champagne was poured into the trophy before Spieth lifted a crowd favorite for the second time that day.
“If you can do it [compete] representing your country together with some of the best players in the world … you just can’t put a number on that,” said Spieth.
“There really is nothing more beautiful.”