You sort of get the feeling that Jordan Spieth fears no golfer. He stared down Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and their 23 combined majors at the Masters last year on his way to a win. He took it to Dustin Johnson at the U.S. Open. He strutted with Jason Day down the stretch at the PGA Championship. It took a record score by Day for Spieth to lose.

But there is one guy Spieth knows is a concern -- one guy everyone in golf knows is a concern. That is Rory McIlroy, and Spieth told the Associated Press this week that McIlroy's rejuvenated drive is going to be an issue for everyone in 2016.

"In a season that he considered lost, he still came back and ended up winning the Race to Dubai, the final event. It proves what a player he is," Spieth told the AP. "I'm sure there's very few people working harder than he is to make this season his best season yet, which is scary. Hopefully, I can help prevent that to an extent."

What McIlroy hasn't said is how tough he's going to make it on Spieth to win. Both are scheduled to be at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship next weekend.