It’s been a positive start to 2026 for Jordan Spieth, but he’s still chasing that elusive first win since 2022.
The three-time major winner finished T12 at the Genesis Invitational, his best result of the season so far, and finished in the top 25 at the Sony Open. A missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open is the only stain on his year through four events.
Despite this consistency, Spieth has yet to challenge the top of the leaderboard. He says he’s rounding back into full health after years of injury troubles, but Spieth hasn’t quite looked back to his brilliant best.
He’s back in action at this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, but CBS’s Johnson Wagner says Spieth’s wait for his next win will continue.
Jordan Spieth makes too many mistakes to win at Bay Hill, says Johnson Wagner
Bay Hill, host of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is one of the toughest courses on the PGA Tour. Its long rough and firm greens always pose a challenge, so much so that Rory McIlroy complained about the course in 2022.
Good shots can be punished at Bay Hill, let alone the bad ones, and that’s why Wagner thinks there is no chance Spieth wins this week.
He said on the Golf on CBS YouTube channel: “I hate to say this, but Jordan Spieth is on my can’t win list again. He’s only played Bay Hill three times. He does have two fourth-place finishes.
“But when you look at Jordan Spieth, he makes too many big mistakes to win around this golf course because there are big mistakes waiting around every corner.
“I hope he comes close, but I don’t think Jordan Spieth can win.”
Jordan Spieth’s recent performances at Bay Hill prove Johnson Wagner wrong
Spieth’s history at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill is marked by significant consistency and two notable brushes with victory, so Wagner’s theory is flatly wrong.
Since he began making regular appearances at the event, he has established himself as a perennial contender on the challenging layout. Spieth’s peak at Bay Hill occurred in 2021 and 2023, where he recorded his best finishes to date, securing a T4 on both occasions.
In the 2023 tournament, he was particularly impressive on the greens and around the hazard-heavy complex, leading the field in strokes gained around the green. His performance in 2021 was equally admirable, finishing at six-under par despite a difficult 75 in the final round.
Most recently, in 2024, Spieth finished T30 with a total score of one-over par. Despite the lower finish that year, his overall course history remains elite. He ranks among the top players in career strokes gained at the venue, averaging 1.675 per round.
So while he isn’t yet back to peak form, his experience at this venue should give him some confidence.
