Zach Johnson is a very good friend of mine, and as happy as I was feeling for him on winning the Open Championship, I must add there was a tinge of sadness to see Jordan Spieth’s gallant attempt to make history go in vain.

The boy is special, having won back-to-back majors, I am sure you all know that. What impressed me most were two things from his battling final round – the way he bounced back from the disappointment of a four-putt double bogey by making birdies on the next two holes, and the way he created a magical moment with that extra special birdie putt on the 16th hole.

It reminded me of Tiger Woods in his prime. Even the greatest golfers make a bad swing here and there, and often play a hole that makes them look like amateurs. But the hallmark of greatness is how you recover from that. And Jordan does a darn good job of doing that.

And that putt on the 16th, which was playing the second toughest on the golf course, was reminiscent of Tiger’s magnificent chip on the 16th hole of Augusta National in 2005. Jordan needed to do something special to catch up with the leaders, and that putt from 40 odd feet was as much a result of his imperious skills as it was of his terrific mental strength.

I also found it remarkable the way Jordan handled all the pressure and performed. The moment defending champion Rory McIlroy pulled out because of the injury, it was as if Jordan was the only story at the Open. Then there was his decision to play the John Deere Classic ahead of The Open, which led to some criticism. But I am not sure if he could have done any better even if he had spent a couple of weeks in St Andrews preparing for the Open.

And one final point that I thought was worth mentioning about Jordan’s effort — he managed to come to within one shot of the eventual champion despite the fact that his greatest strength on the golf course — hit putting — wasn’t up to scratch throughout the week. To make six three-putts and one four-putt and still finish on 14-under par in tough playing conditions, that really was some golf by the young Texan.

So, the calendar grand slam in golf remains elusive, but at least Jordan has shown that there is a possibility it can be done. The attention now shifts to the PGA Championship, and if Jordan wins there, history might now recognize him as a grand slammer, but with three wins and a fourth place, I will have no hesitation in calling it the greatest season ever in golf.

— Jeev Milkha Singh is a four-time champion on the European Tour