He was World No. 1 in 2015 and held that position for 26 weeks. At the time, he was just 22 years old. Now, nearly a decade later, things have changed. He has lost his spark and currently sits at 47th in the rankings. It’s been a long wait for Jordan Spieth over three years without a win on the PGA Tour. His last victory came back in 2022 at the RBC Heritage. So what exactly is wrong with Spieth’s game?
It’s his swing, and while he’s continuously working to fix it, the flaws in his swing and efforts to improve his ball-striking have only made his driving struggles more noticeable. And that’s caught the attention of a few insiders.
On The Smylie Show podcast, Brandel Chamblee broke down how the swing changes of Spieth, “So very dangerous. Jordan Spieth went from a sort of open-faced cupped position. Um, I you know sort of a cup position at the top uh to to a bode position at the top….lots more rotation… and it did allow him to pick up speed and distance. And you could argue…he’s a very good driver…but it hurt his iron play…maybe that’s where the injury came from.” particularly with his wrist and clubface positioning, have made things more complicated for him. Spieth moved from a more open-faced, cupped wrist position at the top of his swing to a bowed position with a closed, shut clubface. While this adjustment helped him pick up speed and distance off the tee, Chamblee pointed out that it came with a cost.
These changes, meant to fix his driving and swing, ended up adding complexity to his overall game, and they disrupted the precision and control needed in his iron play. This might have been the reason for the injury too many changes at once.
“Maybe that’s where the injury came from.” Chamblee added that Spieth suffered a wrist injury in late 2024, and things haven’t been the same since. The injury became serious enough that he was forced to take a long break from golf and undergo surgery. The recovery wasn’t quick. He had to step away from competition and focus on rebuilding his game from scratch. After spending around three to four months off the Tour, he returned cautiously in early 2025, with The Players Championship being just his fourth appearance since surgery. He had been searching for his swing for a long time before his injury set him back.
“You look at the player he was from 2013 to 2017 and you say to yourself, why would anybody ever change that swing?…” Chamlee said, In 2017, Jordan Spieth was at the top of his game. He won three titles that year, including The Open at Royal Birkdale, and ranked 2nd in Strokes Gained: Total. His ball-striking was sharp, his approach play was one of the best on Tour, and his short game and putting were as reliable as ever. But after 2017, things started to fall apart.
His putting cooled off in 2018, and by 2019, his swing was in trouble. He ranked 176th in Strokes Gained Off the Tee and 145th in Approach, showing just how much his long game had declined. In 2020, it got even worse. He dropped to 165th off the Tee, and his entire game struggled. Now, years later, Spieth seems to be working his way back.
“I’m sure he’d love to wave a magic wand and go back to the golf swing he had in 2017. And it looks to me like he’s trying to get back there. That’s what he’s that’s what he’s been chasing is that 17 swing.” Chamlee added that in 2025, Jordan Spieth showed great improvement in his driving game. He currently ranks 34th in Strokes Gained Off the Tee, which is a strong jump from his earlier struggles, but his iron play still seems to be a problem.
However, Spieth isn’t the only star who’s wrestled with swing changes. One legendary player has faced similar struggles.
Tiger’s own swing Revolution
Tiger Woods changed his swing several times throughout his career to stay competitive and manage injuries. Early on, from 1994 to 2000, he had a smooth, flowing swing that helped him dominate with power and control. His swing became more compact when he started working with Butch Harmon, but he still had a big shoulder turn and incredible distance. By 2000, his swing was seen as technically perfect, and he was far better than anyone else on tour. Even with older equipment, he hit shots others couldn’t, like a famous 2-iron stinger at Doral that cut through the wind like a bullet. But Tiger wasn’t satisfied and began changing things to stay ahead as the game and technology evolved.
From 2002 onward, he worked with different coaches like Hank Haney, Sean Foley, and Chris Como. Each time, he made adjustments, rounder swings, more upper body rotation, less leg drive, and more focus on launching the ball. Even after major surgeries, including back fusion, Tiger found ways to swing over 115 mph. By 2017, his swing had changed again to protect his back, using a higher right side and a taller finish. Despite all these changes, Tiger still found success with each version of his swing, proving how determined and skilled he is.
For Spieth, the road back is still uncertain. But if there’s one thing golf teaches, it’s that form can fade and return just as quickly.
The post Jordan Spieth’s ‘Dangerous’ Move Derailed His Career With Injuries, Claims Brandel Chamblee appeared first on EssentiallySports.