Golf Digest — Do not look at Jordan Spieth's stats to figure out why he just ousted WGC - Accenture Match Play defending champion Matt Kuchar. Yes, the 2013 rookie of the year made nine birdies, which will beat just about anyone on any day. But Spieth is going to be tough to beat in match play because of two intangibles that aren't showing up in the stats.
First, he just loves to make par putts. His PGA Tour total putting rank is 99 and his strokes gained/putting lists him at 103rd. And putting from five to 10 feet? He only manages to be ranked 86th. Yet if you watched the last few days or the last year, he seems to make every critical par putt. In match play, nothing is more demeaning for an opponent than someone draining par putts seemingly all day long.
