An enjoyable week for Jordan Spieth at The CJ Cup Bryon Nelson was made even better after being paired with one of his favorite playing partners for all four rounds at TPC Craig Ranch

Jordan Spieth’s return to form continued at TPC Craig Ranch(Image: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Jordan Spieth produced his best week of the PGA Tour season at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and the experience was made all the more enjoyable by one of his playing partners.

Spieth tied his career-low round on tour with a sublime nine-under-par 62 on Sunday to surge up the leaderboard, finishing in solo fourth place. The Texan was a whopping 12 shots adrift of runaway winner Scottie Scheffler at TPC Craig Ranch, but there were plenty of positive signs in Spieth’s game as he battles back from injury woes and a dramatic loss of form.

The three-time major champion has gone more than three years without a victory, plummeting down the world rankings and failing to qualify for some of the PGA Tour’s biggest tournaments. Those woes have been underpinned by a wrist injury that required surgery at the end of last season.

But the former world No. 1 appears to be rounding into form after bagging his second top-five finish of the season. He strung together four under-par rounds in McKinney, gaining a timely boost in confidence ahead of next week’s PGA Championship – the only major missing from Spieth’s remarkable resume.

His cause was aided by being paired with Si Woo Kim for all four rounds at TPC Craig Ranch, with Spieth revealing the South Korean is one of his preferred playing partners.

“I would sign up to be paired with him, maybe one of my favorite pairings on TOUR. Just really entertaining. He and [caddie] Manny [Villegas] are so entertaining. He’s fast. He roots for you. It’s an easy pairing,” Spieth said.

Spieth loved his week playing with Si Woo Kim(Image: Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

“Yeah, we were obviously celebrating [being paired together], we both wanted it after yesterday. I mean, he’s just a tremendous talent, so you’re watching shots that I like to play around the greens, but not many people like to play them. Si Woo is like hold my beer and watch this pretty much. He’ll one-up you on shots that you think you’re good at. It’s very fun.”

Spieth likes what he sees from his game, although he is determined to cut down on critical mistakes that are costing him the chance to contest for victories.

“I just need to gradually improve the way that I’m improving. I don’t need to do anything different. I just need to push it more,” he explained.

“Again, just these little mistakes, just take care of them. It’s easier said than done. We’re always going to make some kind of mistake, but I just felt like there was eight shots a week, so it was like I’m finishing 12th or 14th or something.

“It’s like [making] just two of those eight is a top 5. I guess all that to say it feels close. I’m not going to try to force anything, and this was a good improvement.”

Spieth will return to action on Thursday after receiving a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club. The $20 million signature event is the final PGA Tour stop before the PGA Championship tees off at Quail Hollow on May 15.