Spieth’s boring golf wins Pebble Beach

Jordan Spieth focused on “boring golf” and shrugged off a birdie drought in the final round as he clinched his ninth PGA Tour victory, by four shots, at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California on Sunday.

A commanding six strokes ahead overnight, the world No 6 carded a two-under 70.

“It’s unbelievable,” Spieth, 23, said after becoming the first player since Tiger Woods to win nine times on the PGA Tour before the age of 24.

“Today I hit 17 greens. It was kind of a dream round for ballstriking when you are leading by a bunch and I finally got one [a birdie putt] to go on 17.”

“Boring golf,” double Major champion Spieth said with a smile after totalling 33 putts on Sunday compared to 23 the previous day.

“I apologise, but that was kind of the game plan. That’s what was needed today and fortunately that’s what we did to close it out. We could afford to make a couple of mistakes if I needed to … fortunately we didn’t and just stayed ahead.”

The Texan finished at 19under 268, while fellow American Kelly Kraft fired a 67 for second place at 15-under, with compatriot American Dustin Johnson (68) one stroke back.

Spieth, who won the Australian Open in November, has finished no worse than ninth in any of his past six starts.

He had produced a putting masterclass that yielded eight birdies on Saturday but his putter cooled down on Sunday as he recorded just two birdies at the same venue despite playing solid golf from tee to green.

A two-putt birdie on the second hole was followed by a string of 14 consecutive pars that kept his closest challengers at bay before he picked up another at the par-three 17th.

Australian world No 1 Jason Day chipped in for an eagle at the par-five 14th on the way to a 67 and a three-way tie for fifth at 12-under.