Jordan Spieth wins Tour Championship by four, takes FedEx Cup

If there was any debate as to who should win the PGA Tour’s peer-voted Player of the Year award, Jordan Spieth made the closing statement on Sunday that ended the race.

Spieth won the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta by four shots and, in the process, clinched the 2014-15 FedEx Cup, as well its $ 10 million first-place prize. The 22-year-old posted a final-round, 1-under 69 to win at 9-under 271.

Six holes into the round and on the back of consecutive bogeys, Spieth had lost the one-stroke edge he had over Henrik Stenson to begin the day. However, 20-foot birdie putts on the eighth and ninth holes got him back on track. After a bogey at the 10th, Spieth made a 50-foot bomb on the par-3 11th to kill any momentum Stenson built when his tee shot landed inside 4 feet. Critical 8-foot par putts on the 15th and 16th holes secured the victory.

Stenson shanked his approach shot on the 17th hole, leading to a double-bogey 6. However, the Swede drained a 45-foot, sweeping birdie putt on the 230-yard par-3 finisher to lock up a tie for second place in the Tour Championship with Danny Lee and Justin Rose. That putt was worth $ 1 million in the FedEx Cup, as well, locking up runner-up in the season-long race over Jason Day, who finished T-10 in the Tour Championship, and the accompanying $ 3 million prize.

But back to Spieth, who set a number of records with the double-dip win on Sunday.

The 22-year-old became the youngest player in nine seasons to win the FedEx Cup and become the youngest player to ever win the Tour Championship.

With the $ 1.485 million check for winning the Tour Championship, Spieth toppled Vijay Singh’s 2004 for the most lucrative season in PGA Tour history, earning just over $ 22 million in 25 official tournaments. He also locks up the Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average of the year, and, when his peers vote, he will win the PGA Tour Player of the Year award.

The Texan ends the year with five wins — Valspar Championship, the Masters, U.S. Open, John Deere Classic and Tour Championship — becoming the youngest player with that many wins in a single PGA Tour season since 1929, back when the PGA Tour didn’t really exist.

And, oh yeah, he’s once again the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Now, with the question answered of who had the best 2014-15, here’s the next one: How does Spieth back it up? But let’s give Spieth a night or two to enjoy this one before we ask him for a blueprint.

More Tour Championship coverage

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Follow @RyanBallengee

Devil Ball Golf – Golf – Yahoo Sports