By Will Martin
20 years young but seemingly seasoned in his approach to the game of golf, Jordan Spieth has now completed 36 holes of play at the 2014 Colonial where the projected cut May 23rd shall be +1. Spieth with a 3 under 67 Thursday and 1 under 69 Friday which means we will see him compete this Memorial Day weekend amongst eight former champions and one #1 ranked golfer in the world. Jordan Spieth talked about his game and the course moments after completing his round.
Jordan, 1 under par today, 4 under par through 36 holes. If we can get some comments on your day?
Jordan Spieth: It was up and down again. Just too many bogies on this golf course. I made four bogies on the back nine today when I had it going. It’s a solid-I’m off to a solid start. I think it’s a solid start, but I really, again, just like I said yesterday, I don’t think the course is playing that difficult. Even shooting three under on the front nine I had four putts inside 12 feet that I didn’t make. We all did. They’re just not quite going in the hole.
I was going to say, not the day you wanted, but you are in good position heading into the weekend.
Yeah, definitely. It’s going to take some serious golf this weekend though. It’s going to take a couple of low 60 rounds.
Fairway play hasn’t been bad this week. Is there any reason why that happens to be?
They’re very difficult holes. No. 4 is not even possible, but 3 and 5 are. I hit a 5 iron way up in the air and it landed right next to the hole and it’s over the green. That is the best shot I could hit if I hit it a hundred times and I still couldn’t hit the green. So that hole, even though we were moved up the tee box, maybe should have gone up another tee box, but that’s just how the hole plays and we know it. You just take your par and go to the next..
But 3, I had a good number. I had a little 8 iron in today and just pulled it. Obviously, 5 is really difficult, so need to rethink the way I’m playing number 5. Maybe a 3 wood off the tee instead of driver. But other than that, no, I don’t think there is anything specifically on those holes. It just happened to be a couple bad swings.
What do you think about these young kids that are now following you? This growing gallery that are shouting your name and putting up the hook ’em sign?
Yeah, it’s really cool. It’s a lot of fun to see especially in the DFW area. We have a lot of fun with it here. We had a great showing in a junior clinic last week that kind of showed how much support there is out there, and it’s awesome to do whatever I can to help grow the game in DFW and throughout the country and whatever. So it’s awesome to hear, and just trying to be the best role models that we can for the kids.
Does it amaze you to think that looking back a few years ago you were this amateur and now you are part of growing this game?
A little bit, yeah. I don’t really dwell on that too much. I try to look forward as best I can but, yeah, it is interesting that the guys that were my roommates in school are playing in a National Championship right now and we’re out here in my second year out here. So that’s kind of crazy to look at, but I’m having a great time and hope to continue to play well and stay out here.
What kind of score wins this tournament?
I don’t know. I’d say probably double what it’s at right now (Brice Garnett was at 7 under when Spieth spoke). 14 under s out there, so that would mean 65, 65 I would have to shoot. So it can be done, but I’m going to have to make less mistakes and a few more putts.
That second shot on 1, was that a bad club, a bad lie or a bad swing?
A bad lie, bad club, yeah. Not necessarily a bad lie , but not the lie you’d want. I would have liked to be just on an up slope, but I was where somebody else had already been that day so it was raked over and kind of a flat lie. Couple times this week already I’ve taken less club to make sure I got it over the lift and I cleared it easily. So I decided to shoot a 6 iron there when I probably should have shot 7 or 8. That hole is such an easy hole and such a bad tee shot to be on that front bunker. When you’re in it you just feel like it’s par 4. You feel like you’ve got to push it up there, and I just didn’t sit back and look at it and say it’s an 8 iron out and go on, but honestly, I hit it really thin. So if I hit it solid, I think that’s the best way.
One thin hole notwithstanding, the first 36 holes for Jordan Spieth have been nothing short buffet approved and Fat-tastic. With so many champions and storylines for this weekend’s prestigious Colonial Golf Tournament rest assured that Jordan Spieth will somehow, someway be a part of the plot come Sunday afternoon around 3 PM.