Spieth sets sights on Open success

Spieth raring to go as he bids to make history at St Andrews

Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth is bidding for his third Major title of the season
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jordan Spieth is raring to go in the Open Championship at St Andrews as he bids to become the first player since Ben Hogan to win the year's first three Majors

Jordan Spieth is raring to go in the Open Championship at St Andrews as he bids to become the first player since Ben Hogan to win the year's first three Majors.

The Masters and US Open champion comes into the event off the back of a win at last week's John Deere Classic - his fourth title of the season.

And he's now set his sights on adding The Open to his already-impressive resume.

"It would be amazing to win. I've watched The Open here at St Andrews and I don't think there's anything more special in our sport than playing an Open Championship at the Home of Golf," he said.

"I have fond memories from playing here a few years back, vivid ones. It's one of those courses you play where you really don't forget much. There's only a couple of those in the world. I think here and Augusta National are my two favourite places in the world.

"All in I'm extremely excited. It would mean the world to me to try and win this championship and to do it here would be even more special."

Related: inside the Open favourites

As for the unique challenge of links golf and the Old Course, Spieth believes a positive attitude is key.

"I think it's fun. If we wanted good weather we'd go play in California! We come over here because we want to embrace the opportunity of handling these conditions.

"I'm certainly trying to look at it as positively as possible because I don't feel like there's any other way to go about it."

The 21-year-old made his debut in The Open at Murfield in 2013 - one of his favourite ever events - but his mindset has completely changed since then.

"I got into contention on the Saturday and started to make a little move, and I remember thinking that was too big for me at the time.

"I don't think I could have imagined sitting here this soon. Obviously I imagined it and wished it was possible, but it's come quicker than I though. It's pretty cool to be here this early and to have the opportunities we have going forward.

"Playing the best golf I've every player and putting the best I've ever putted at The Masters gave me a lot of confidence, and really that tournament established that we could do it going forward in each one if we got the chance.

"We've done it before, why can't we do it again?"

Spieth admits he's been unable to completely block out the fanfare surrounding his quest for the career Grand Slam, but insists such thoughts won't be in his mind when he sets foot on the first tee tomorrow.

"I can draw on the other two, but I won't look at it as trying to win three in a row - I look at this as trying to win the Open Championship at a very special place.

"The hardest thing for me is to try and forget about where I am because being here at St Andrews and looking at the past champions, that's elite company, and that's something I'm going to have to forget about."

 

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x