Jordan Spieth, in a 20-somethings prodigy pairing with Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed at the Masters, has some advice from Ben Crenshaw and Tom Watson to help him.
Spieth is among a record 24 newcomers in this year’s Masters and while Fuzzy Zoeller’s 1979 win is the only one since 1935 by a first-timer, Spieth is confident he has what it takes to claim a Green Jacket.
“I don’t see that it’s a big deal at all,” Spieth said. “I think that if I get my game ready, then it’s possible.” The 20-year-old American won his first PGA title at last year’s John Deere Classic, making him the PGA Tour’s youngest winner since 1931.
“I’ve been on the grounds, got the ‘awe factor’ out, which is pretty hard to do here,” Spieth said. “It’s a golf course that I knew before I even got here, I’ve watched it so much and studied it. Extremely excited for this week and I’m sure it will be an event I’ll never forget, especially that first tee shot.”
Spieth had a practice green talk on Monday with past winners Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw and while he would not spill every bit of advice he learned from the legends, he did tip a few hints.
“A couple of the things I don’t necessarily want to share,” Spieth said. “Certain holes you just have to play smart and accept you are not going to be on the green unless you get a good bounce.
“Mr Crenshaw talked to me a lot about just the pull on the greens and just how you really need to watch out, not for the break but for the speed. The most important thing he said is on the greens, it is understanding the speed, whether it’s a 4-footer or a 40-footer.”
Spieth already knows that Rae’s Creek, which winds through the 11th, 12th and 13th holes, will have an impact on putts.
“There’s just more thought that goes into it on this course,” he said. “The most amazing thing about this place isn’t the layouts or the humps here and there. It’s the subtleties of the straight putts and the pull of Rae’s Creek, just how amazing that kind of gravitational pull is on putts that you think would be so straight. It’s hard to get a grasp of until you’re on the course in tournament conditions and you can really see it.
“You can’t play it like a normal golf course. The greens are just so diabolical that you have to really think your shots into them. And when you’re on the tee, you need to know where that pin is, because it even affects the tee shot on where you’re playing that ball.”
Spieth said he is ready to cope with Reed, one of the hottest players in the field with three wins in eight months, and McIlroy, a twotime Major winner and the old man of the trio at 24.
“I don’t think I would be awestruck,” Spieth said. “Even though we are 20-somethings, Rory is at a different position. Rory is the veteran in our group. It will be cool. It will be a great atmosphere. Both of them playing some incredible golf this year, so I’ve got to keep up.”
