Jonathan Spieth is another American who had his confidence boosted at the tail end of 2014 when, with his enviably smooth swing, he won back-to-back titles in Australia and Florida.
Spieth was more obviously cut out for stardom than many of his peers in that he had matched Tiger Woods’ feat in winning the US Junior title more than once. Unlike Woods, though, he did not have a matching haul of results in the senior arena because he turned professional at the tender age of 19. It was an alarmingly early switch for an American, albeit one which was at least partially vindicated when he won his first PGA event a week ahead of his 20th birthday.
As well as those end-of-2014 triumphs, Spieth had a rather more successful Ryder Cup than most of his compatriots, contributing two and a half points to the US cause.
Not, it has to be said, that too many would have noticed in that he was paired with Patrick Reed, a magnet of a man when it comes to attracting more than his whack of publicity. At the start of last year, it will be recalled, Reed made that never-to-be-forgotten comment about how he belonged in the top five in the world. (The statistics did not bear that out, though no one would be surprised were this out-and-out individual to make that proud boast come true this summer.)
There is something about the more comfortably-contoured Thai players to suggest that they are all heading in the right direction while taking an alternative route - a gym-free route - from the majority.
They are a happy band of golfers whose fast-improving results reflect their joie de vivre. Not too many years ago, Boonchu Ruangkit was the only Thai golfer of note. Today, as many as seven Thais feature in the top 250 in the world, with the winner of the 2013 Malaysian Open arguably the best prospect of them all.
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