Washington (AFP) – Reigning US Open champion Jordan Spieth has tried to relax ahead of Thursday’s start of the US PGA’s event at Colonial, hoping to find his form and put recent struggles behind him.
The world number two from Texas stumbled in the final round last Sunday at the Byron Nelson Championship after lurking one shot off the lead after 36 and 54 holes at his hometown event.
Add to that a missed cut at the Players Championship and a back-nine Sunday meltdown that cost him a repeat Masters crown last month at Augusta National and it’s easy to understand why he’s seeking to find the fun and shake swing problems at the Dean and Deluca International in Fort Worth, Texas.
A day after playing a practice round alongside former University of Texas teammate Kramer Hickok — one of his roommates this week — Spieth played a pro-am round Wednesday with actor Bill Murray, known best in golf circles for his role in the movie “Caddyshack.”
The rounds helped Spieth shake off settling for a share of 18th last week at nearby TPC Four Seasons.
“I wouldn’t say I made any progress on Sunday. That was not a good day,” Spieth said. “I felt more comfortable striking the ball, but I wouldn’t turn that into saying that was progress because that was a day I expected myself to come through.
“If I did have control of the ball, I should have won that tournament – given I only had to shoot 2-under and it was not playing that hard.”
“I don’t think Sunday was any reflection of me being overly frustrated or concerned with ball-striking. It was just an off day,” Spieth said. “I still like playing golf. If it doesn’t seem like I do, then someone let me know, but I didn’t think I was that hard on myself.”
Ryan Palmer, a Colonial member who played against Spieth on Tuesday, said he liked what he saw from the Texan, who will defend his US Open crown next month at Oakmont.
“I think he’s getting back into the swing,” Palmer said. “He took so much time off after Augusta. He didn’t play well at The Players and then last week he kind of got back in the groove. But I think Jordan is doing OK.”
Cameron McCormick, Spieth’s swing coach, was walking with his pupil during his warmup rounds to help pull some things together.
“Much more natural feeling right now than I was this past Thursday through Sunday in my swing,” Spieth said. “Much more kind of swinging with what body wants me to do versus fighting it, which is what I felt like I’ve been doing.”
Spieth shared second last year at Colonial, opening and closing the event with 64s over the 7,204-yard, par-70 layout. This year, he expects predicted windy conditions will help him concentrate on what he needs to do with his swing.
“That’s really going to help me,” he said. “I think less focus on the swing and more results-focused and kind of imagination — paint a picture, work different kinds of trajectories and just be an artist out there — is going to be really good for me.”
Also in the field is Australia’s Adam Scott, who has won all four US PGA events in the Lone Star State for a “Texas Career Grand Slam.”
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