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 Spieth shot a closing one-under-par 69 at East Lake Golf Club for a
nine-under total of 271 and his fifth win of the season, including
the Masters and U.S. Open.
The prize money haul included the $10 million jackpot bonus for
winning the season's FedExCup points competition, virtually clinched
him Player of the Year honors and returned the 22-year-old American
to the number one world ranking.
Sweden's Henrik Stenson rolled in a 57-foot birdie putt at the last
for a 72 to tie for second on five-under 275 with Englishman Justin
Rose (66) and Danny Lee of New Zealand (65).
"This is incredible. This is an event that we approach like a major
championship because we know this is possible at the end of it,"
said Spieth after hoisting the silver FedExCup trophy.
Spieth experienced a slight lull to his sensational season in the
last month as Australian Jason Day went red-hot to win four of six
events, including the PGA Championship and two of the FedExCup
playoff tournaments.
However, the ultra-competitive Spieth geared up for a run at the
Tour Championship/FedExCup double and hit his target.
"I got frustrated. I missed two cuts in a row, had never done that,
lost the number one ranking. I was watching Jason Day just dominate
golf," said Spieth, whose PGA Tour season earnings ballooned to $22
million because of the FedExCup bonus.
"I got to work, put my head down a little more than I did right
after the PGA, knowing that we could still peak this week and that's
what we did."
MAGIC PUTTER
Spieth once again wielded a magic putter to quash the hopes of his
rivals.
He began the day with a one-shot lead over Stenson, the 2013
FedExCup winner. He extended that advantage to two but after six
holes the pair were tied when Spieth suffered a second consecutive
bogey.
With both players starting the week inside the top five in FedExCup
points -- and thus assured of winning the FedExCup by winning the
tournament -- it seemed to be a two-man game.
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Spieth took command on the eighth hole by rolling in a 21-foot
birdie putt, while Stenson bogeyed for a two-shot swing.
Then after Stenson knocked his approach close at the ninth, Spieth
rolled in an 18-footer to maintain his advantage.
Two holes later, Spieth rolled in 46-foot putt for birdie to retain
his two-shot edge, drawing a wry grin from the Swede who
acknowledged the American's effort with a fist bump on the green.
With Rose, Lee, Dustin Johnson (64), Bubba Watson (67) and
Englishman Paul Casey, who reached six-under before bogeys at 16 and
17, making charges, Spieth continued to use his putter to hold them
at bay.
He saved par at the 15th with a putt from nine feet and did so again
at 16, and Stenson gave him breathing room with a double-bogey at 17
after shanking his approach shot.
"I didn't quite get going today and Jordan was putting unbelievably
well," said Stenson, whose long birdie putt at the last moved him
into second place in the final FedExCup standings for an extra $1
million and a total $3 million bonus.
"Whenever he had to make a putt, he did it. So, very well-deserving
champion."
(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)
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