As comparisons to Tiger mount, Spieth uses Woods as motivation

On the heels of a dominating, eight-shot win at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions to start 2016, Jordan Spieth is drawing more and more comparisons to Tiger Woods — not because Spieth will necessarily have Woods’ astounding career but simply because Spieth is the first player since Woods to enjoy similar success in his early 20s.

With the Kapalua win, Spieth now has seven PGA Tour victories, which is the same number as Woods before he turned 23. Spieth has until July before he turns 23, so there’s room to top Woods as the most prolific young winner in PGA Tour history.

However, Spieth has resisted the temptation to compare himself to Tiger — at least in a favorable way. Rather, he uses Woods as a measuring stick for just how far he still has to go.

“The more you look at Tiger, you look at Phil, you start realizing how far away you are from one of the best players to ever play the game,” Spieth said. “And if you look at that, it keeps your head small.”

Spieth has seven wins, yes, but in 77 starts and now in his fourth season. Woods got to seven wins in just 38 starts in his first two pro seasons. (Then again, Woods got more PGA Tour invites as an amateur.)

Though 22, Spieth has the longer-term picture in mind, suggesting before last week’s winners-only event that he isn’t looking to produce an encore to his 2015 but rather continue a long, compelling saga. If he’s successful, then Spieth will welcome a true comparison.

“Now hopefully, you have a chance to ask me that when there’s a possibility of it getting big,” he added. “But for now, I think the more I look at, ‘What have they done?’ and ‘What are they thinking about how I’m talking?’ when [Mickelson and Woods, respectively] are sitting there with 45 and 79 wins and major championships.”

Looking ahead a few months to April, Spieth can do something only Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo have done: win back-to-back Masters titles. If he does that, rest assured the Tiger comparisons will grow.

Spieth said he is ready now for Augusta.

“I can sit here and say that my putting certainly is ready for Masters to be next week,” Spieth said after his win in Hawaii. “It’s a really good feeling to have that confidence with the flat stick.”

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

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