[SPORTS★★] JORDAN SPIETH STORMS TO MASTERS WIN
(P1) The sports world needs to pause for a moment and deliver a thank you to Jordan Spieth.
(P2) Spieth didn’t just win the Masters golf tournament at the age of 21 on Sunday. He single-handedly shook the sport out of its post-Tiger Woods doldrums. The precocious Texan with a mixture of swagger and humility burned up Augusta National from start to finish.
(P3) “Greatest day of my life,” Spieth said.
(P4) A year after a heartbreaking second-place finish in his Masters debut, Spieth tied Woods’s 72-hole scoring record with an 18-under par 270, to capture the first of what figures to be numerous green jackets. (The winner of the Masters gets to wear a green sportjacket as a symbol of his victory.)
(P5) “It’s awfully impressive,” world No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy said of Spieth, who won by four strokes over Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose.
(P6) Spieth announced in the grandest possible way that McIlroy, who shot a cool 68-66 on the weekend to finish at 12-under for the tournament, is going to have plenty to contend with in the coming months and years.
(P7) Spieth always managed to steady himself and find the perfect shot when he needed it.
(P8) “He’s going to fly the flag of golf for a little while,” Rose said of Spieth. “People are going to get excited.”
(P9) Spieth yells at his ball at it comes off the club like a weekend hacker. He isn’t afraid to make fun of himself. He has a sister with a neurological disorder and seems to understand where golf sits on life’s priority list.
(P10) Unlike a lot of green-jacket winners before him, Spieth spread the credit. He made sure everyone knew he couldn’t have done this without the former grade-school teacher who serves as his caddie, his swing coach, the tournament volunteers, his family, the food and beverage staff, the fans. He owned up to having a fitful night of sleep that lasted from just after midnight until just before 7 a.m.
(P11) Of McIlroy, Spieth said, “He has won four major championships. That’s something I can only dream about.”
(P12) Thanks, Jordan Spieth. So good, so young, so much more to come.
Words: 390
Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/jordan-spieth-storms-to-masters-win-1428880883
Discussion Questions
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- The article points out that Jordan Spieth “isn’t afraid to make fun of himself.” Do you think this is a good quality?
- As a result of winning this tournament, Spieth became the No. 2 ranked golfer in the world. Who will be his main rival now?
- Tournament runner-up Justin Rose said that Spieth will get people “excited” about golf. What are some of the reasons why this might be true?
Expressions to Practice
What do the following expressions mean? Practice using each expression in a sentence; extra points if you can use it in conversation.
- Priority list
- Neurological disorder
- To steady oneself
- In the doldrums
