One tournament into 2026 and it’s safe to say the “Jordan Spieth Experience” has rolled right into the season like it never left.

That uniquely thrilling – often chaotic – brand of golf flashed all the hallmarks of familiarity over four days at Waialae Country Club: exceptional short-game play, dramatic swings between brilliance and blunder and, of course, lots and lots of commentary.

Spieth finished 7-under 273 for the tournament – good enough for a top-25 finish in just his second PGA TOUR start since last August at the FedEx St. Jude Championship – and a satisfactory assessment of his Sony Open at Hawaii performance.

“It was a little bit of an off day, but all in all, coming into the week I felt pretty confident about where things were at, so I would've liked to maybe finish higher,” said Spieth, who opened with three straight rounds of 68 and finished birdie-birdie for a 69 on Sunday.

“It was a nice finish, birdieing the last couple and feeling like I can take some momentum into the beginning of the season and hopefully get on a nice little run.”

Spieth noted he arrived in Honolulu following a “healthy offseason,” during which he focused on swing mechanics. That’s led to a renewed confidence in his consistency.

“It's fun to be healthy, and fun to be knowing I'm working on the right things, and fun to be out here competing,” Spieth said earlier in the week. “I hit a lot of really fun, cool shots that I didn't have in August, so I'm taking that as a positive. …

“Although it may not be all the way there where I want it in tournament play, each round as I continue to trust it should get a little bit better and better, and not caring about the result and just being dialed into the next shot is have I important right now because it allows me to free up a little bit more and I make better swings and hit better shots.”

But perhaps the most insightful development for the now father of three is a newfound perspective on the golf course. Spieth noted he’s trying to enjoy himself more, describing the last few years as “a bit of a grind.”

“And if I'm not having fun out here – I mean, I know 10 years from now I'm going to wish I had these 10 years back,” he said. “I certainly wish I could go back 10 years. All in all, if you're not having fun, what are you doing out here?

“If you're not being present and you're not enjoying the fact that you're living out your dream, and if it feels like a job hard work, and I tell you it has and it really shouldn't. There is just no need.”