Jordan Spieth on playing at Austin CC in front of friends: “It’s the weirdest thing”
- Matt Cooper
- 23 March 2021
The three-time Major Champion is all set for this week’s WGC Dell Technologies Match Play and excited about returning to action in the Lone Star State.
Ahead of Wednesday's WGC Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club Jordan Spieth couldn't hide the thrill he was experiencing in being back home in Texas.
Moreover, he's delighted that his form is finally somewhere near his best.
The 27-year-old hasn't claimed a win since mid-2017 and his form descended to horrible levels with just three top five finishes throughout all of 2018, 2019 and 2020.
But he's rediscovered his mojo in 2021 and the results prove it: he's finished top five in three of his last five starts.
He's still struggling to find fairways, but his approach play is improved and his distance putting is back to it's outstanding best.
Prior to taking on Matthew Fitzpatrick, Matthew Wolff and Corey Conners in Group 15, starting Wednesday, Spieth spoke to the media.
Spieth on playing in his home state
"I love coming down here, feel like I have tremendous support in the state of Texas, so I'm always super pumped, especially with the fans being back and things starting to feel a little bit closer to normal.
"I think that just kind of can add to some momentum and some positivity for me."
Spieth on having his friends at the course
"It's just been really fun. When the course gets down to those lake holes … One time I was on 13 and 14 and my buddy had my ski boat out there that we had brought from Dallas!
"There's a bunch of friends out on the water and it was just kind of weird to look out and be like, 'Whoa, that's mine and what are you guys doing?'
"I was thinking they were in the crowd, but instead they went and got the boat, and took it out. It's the weirdest thing."
Spieth on the golf course
"Austin Country Club is such a fun golf course to play. You've got a lot of different options on a lot of different holes, which also makes it a pretty fitting golf course for match play."
Spieth on match play
"It's tough because you want to play the golf course and not the opponent. Just a have an if-I-shoot-the-lowest-score-I'm-probably-going-to-win kind of mindset.
"But you definitely make adjustments watching what that other guy does. It's kind of a fine line.
"You don't want to get too focused on what he's doing, but you do kind of need to be aware so that you limit a mistake that doesn't need to be made.
Spieth has played well in 2021.
"The other thing that's a little bit tricky is you get a lot of freedom on shots that you don't in a regular tournament because you're like, 'Hey, if I don't pull this off, whatever, if I lose this hole, it's one hole. I don't make double or triple-bogey, I just lose one hole.'
"At the same time closing out matches can feel like the pressure of closing out a tournament.
"So you get freedom on some shots, but then on others you feel a little tighter and that's kind of the beauty of it.
"You can each have eight-footers and the mindset is: first one in is going to win. This putt, if I miss, his will be a lot easier to make. It's putting to win the hole or tie versus I have to make to tie. Different pressure.
"I like those flips and those switches. I wish there were more events like this, got to take advantage."
Spieth on turning his putting (and form) around
"I was like (ranked) 200th for putting in 2018. There's not much of an excuse for that. That was just p*ss-poor putting.
"As the year went on my grip got weaker, the clubface got more open and then I needed to flip at impact and so it just required more timing.
Jordan Spieth's putting game 🤯
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 6, 2021
(via @PGATOUR)pic.twitter.com/lRWlZ5yLuS
"From somebody who already has a weaker grip to start with, you don't really have much wiggle room on that side of the things.
"It's something that I've got to continue to try and work on, make sure it's not an issue.
"It was 100% responsible … it's going to impact how everything feels.
"I've swung it enough the right way, so when it's not the right way my brain's like, wow, something's out of position, what is it?!
"Everybody's got some reason why they get off. That was mine and I certainly could have handled it differently.
"I feel good that right now it's not an issue."
