PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — It’s difficult to imagine a 24-year-old player who already has been ranked No. 1 in the world, won 11 tournaments and is one major championship away from completing the career Grand Slam as being under the radar.
But when was the last time you heard anyone talk about Jordan Spieth?
Do you consider him one of the favorites to win the Players Championship this week?
Based on the Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson power pairing, creating a vacuum that has overwhelmed every other storyline at TPC Sawgrass this week before a ball has been struck, it’s easy to overlook pretty much everyone else in the field.
But here’s the thing: Spieth was even overlooked at last month’s Masters despite the fact that he won the Green Jacket in 2015, finished runner-up in 2014 in his first try and finished runner-up in 2016.
By the way, currently he’s ranked fourth in the world rankings, and yet still …
“I felt like I was under the radar at the Masters for the first time in my career … well, since 2014, my first one, and I think that was in large part due to Tiger being there and kind of the lead-up that he had into it,’’ Spieth said. “I thought that kind of maybe made it a little bit easier to just kind of go about my business.’’
Spieth’s business at the Players Championship has been so unremarkable that he’s probably delighted to be under the radar.
After a tie for fourth in his first try in 2014, Spieth has missed the last three cuts and has yet to master what diabolical course designer Pete Dye requires players to do.
“I think just being a little forceful,’’ Spieth said. “The last couple years, I just haven’t had that patience. I haven’t approached it like I approach the major-championship-caliber golf. And this golf course and this tournament are major-championship caliber.’’
Asked why, when he’s displayed such veteran’s patience in majors, he’s been unable to do it at the Players, Spieth said, “I’m not sure. I think the first year I played here, I almost won it and so I just kind of assumed that it would come easy to me.
“I kind of looked at the last few years and just kind of came in thinking, ‘Oh, if I miss it in a tough spot, I’ll get up-and-down.’ But now that hasn’t happened. I’m ready to kind of get back on that first-year path but doing it the right way. Coming in here, I kind of feel like I’m freewheeling [because] I don’t have a great history the last few years here.’’
Spieth has been very vocal about his belief that the Players Championship should be considered one of the major championships.
“At this point in my career, I obviously have the PGA circled,’’ he said, referring to the one major he’s yet to win. “[But] I have not won the Players, and we look at this tournament up there in about equal value with the major championships. The only thing that holds it away from being a major is simply people jotting down how many majors people won.
“I mean, it is one of the toughest tests in golf with the best field golf in all of golf. If you win here, you can win anywhere else.’’
After Spieth won the British Open last July, he spoke about the fact that he was playing with “house money’’ for the rest of the season. Now, after a sluggish start to 2018, he’s trying to flip the switch.
“I don’t feel like I’m playing with house money like I did after the Open,’’ he said. “I feel like I want to prove to myself that 2018 can be a really good season, and I’ve got a lot of time to do so. I’ve struggled a little this year with kind of rushing my thoughts into [wondering] why aren’t I playing [well]?’’
Of course, if he wins this week, Spieth will no longer be under anyone’s radar. Instead, the golf world will be anticipating how he’ll do next month at Shinnecock Hills, where he will be in pursuit of his second U.S. Open title and fourth major.
