Spieth Forced to Qualify for U.S. Open After Steep Decline

Once a major champion, the 32-year-old has fallen out of the top 50 in the world rankings.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:44pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a golfer's swing broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, representing the fragmentation of Jordan Spieth's once-elite game.Spieth's once-dominant game has fractured under the weight of his recent struggles, as the former U.S. Open champion fights to regain his form.Dallas Today

Jordan Spieth, who won the U.S. Open in 2015, will have to qualify for this year's tournament at Shinnecock Hills after his 10-year exemption expired. Spieth has struggled mightily in recent years, failing to win on the PGA Tour since 2022 and tumbling outside the top 50 in the world rankings. Despite his past success, including a win at The Open in 2017, the three-time major champion has a poor overall record at the U.S. Open, missing the cut four times in 14 appearances.

Why it matters

Spieth's fall from grace has been a dramatic one, as the once-dominant player has fallen off significantly in recent years. His need to qualify for the U.S. Open highlights just how far he has fallen, and raises questions about whether he can regain his past form and compete at the highest level again.

The details

Spieth won the U.S. Open in 2015, defeating Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen by one stroke. He nearly completed the calendar Grand Slam that year, winning the Masters and U.S. Open before finishing runner-up at The Open and PGA Championship. However, Spieth has not won a major since The Open in 2017, and his last PGA Tour victory came in April 2022. His poor play has seen him tumble outside the top 50 in the world rankings.

  • Spieth won the U.S. Open in 2015.
  • He won The Open Championship in 2017.
  • Spieth's last PGA Tour victory was in April 2022.
  • His 10-year U.S. Open exemption expired after the 2025 tournament.

The players

Jordan Spieth

A 32-year-old professional golfer from Dallas, Texas, who won the U.S. Open in 2015 and The Open in 2017, but has struggled mightily in recent years, failing to win on the PGA Tour since 2022 and falling out of the top 50 in the world rankings.

Dustin Johnson

A professional golfer who finished runner-up to Spieth at the 2015 U.S. Open.

Louis Oosthuizen

A professional golfer who also finished runner-up to Spieth at the 2015 U.S. Open.

Jason Day

A professional golfer who defeated Spieth by three strokes at the 2015 PGA Championship.

Gary Player

A legendary professional golfer who has suggested that Spieth's decline is due to poor coaching.

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What they’re saying

“Spieth's fall from grace has been a 'tragedy' to witness, with Gary Player suggesting that the three-time major champion has been a victim of poor coaching.”

— Gary Player

What’s next

Spieth will have to go through U.S. Open qualifying in order to earn a spot in this year's tournament at Shinnecock Hills.

The takeaway

Jordan Spieth's dramatic fall from the top of the golf world serves as a cautionary tale about the fragility of athletic success. Once a dominant force who nearly completed the Grand Slam, Spieth has struggled mightily in recent years, and his need to qualify for the U.S. Open highlights just how far he has fallen. This story raises questions about whether Spieth can regain his past form and compete at the highest level again.