13 PGA Tour Wins and 53 top 5 finishes in his career, Jordan Spieth is a man to behold on the course. No, this is not just because of how he plays or how many wins he has, but because of how stubborn he is when it comes to playing, even with an injury that might th row most off track.

Coming off wrist surgery in August 2023 and still dealing with occasional swelling nearly a year later, the three-time major champion pushed through lingering issues to complete a demanding return. His year included the first withdrawal of his career, 297 starts in, after a sudden neck spasm at the Travelers Championship. 

The injury that shaped the early part of his comeback dated back to May 2023, when the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon in his right wrist began slipping out of its sheath, resulting problem resurfacing unpredictably, sometimes causing his hand to lose feeling and strength mid-round.

Rest and rehab later proved ineffective, and surgery on August 21, 2023, became the only long-term solution. Spieth didn’t return to competitive golf until February 2025 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where the journey back truly began.

Playing through mild swelling and occasional discomfort, he generated $3,159,660 across the PGA Tour season. He opened his year with a T69 at Pebble Beach, earning $34,500, then immediately bounced back with a T4 at the WM Phoenix Open, adding $414,000. More steady results followed, including top-10 finishes at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches (T9), The CJ Cup Byron Nelson (4th), and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (T7).

His biggest payday arrived at the Memorial, where his T7 finish earned $603,200. Another major highlight came at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, where his closing 62 propelled him to solo fourth and a payout of $485,100. With consistent play through April and May, Spieth stayed comfortably positioned for the FedEx Cup Playoffs and maintained momentum despite the physical demands of recovery.

The neck spasm that forced his withdrawal from the Travelers Championship was an unusual moment in an otherwise durable career. Spieth, appearing on the “Up & Adams” show, explained that he woke up with sharp neck pain on the morning of his opening round and attempted to push through until his tee shot on the 13th made continuing impossible. The incident lasted only a few days, and he returned to full strength ahead of The Open Championship, confirming he had “no restrictions” moving into the season’s final major.

Even without a win, he delivered four top-tens and multiple top-twenty finishes. His consistency, paired with his through injury, remains a reminder of why he continues to be one of the sport’s most closely followed players.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu