Irish Golf Desk

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Dominant Spieth wins Tiger's event by 10 — GMac 18 shots behind

Jordan Spieth. Picture Fran Caffrey, www.golffile.ie

Jordan Spieth moved up to ninth in the world thanks to an impressive 10-shot victory in the Hero World Challenge.

Host Tiger Woods, who duffed two more chips and closed with a 72 to share last plce with Hunter Mahan, was even impressed.

Seven clear with a round to play, 21-year old Spieth set two tournament records as he closed with a 66 to win by 10 from Henrik Stenson on 26 under.

That he did it just a week after closing with a 63 to win the Emirates Australian Open in Sydney before flying 9,000 miles to Isleworth was what impressed Woods.

"He's playing some pretty special golf right now," Woods said.

Spieth made three birdies on his opening four holes, eagled the seventh to go 11 shots ahead and then birdied the 10th.

"It was the most fun I ever had playing nine holes of golf," Spieth said, admitting he was thinking of finishing 30 under par. "That would have been a cool number."

That goal was scotched when he made a double bogey six at the 14th but he then birdied the 15th and 17th to set a record 26-under aggregate of 262, four better than Woods (2007) and Davis Love III (2000) could manage at Sherwood Country Club in California.

Woods, in his first tournament in four months while recovering from back injuries, stubbed two more chips on the 13th hole for a triple bogey and closed with a 72.

As for Graeme McDowell, he made seven birdies in his final round but only shot 71 as he also had four bogeys and a double bogey.

The Portrush man, who will end his season in the Shark Shootout this week, tied for 11th on eight under par. 

He came from behind to beat Spieth in that crucial Ryder Cup singles at Gleneagles last September but came up 18 shots behind the in-form American this time around.