McGIRT, ZACH JOHNSON CO-LEADERS OF US PGA TOUR EVENT
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SPIETH DEFENDING JOHN DEERE CLASSIC WITH ONE EYE ON OPEN
AT HOYLAKE NEXT WEEK
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FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
By Craig DeVrieze, special to PGATOUR.COM
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FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
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Jordan Spieth was seven shots better on Friday and is in a very familiar position at TPC Deere Run. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SILVIS, Illinois – After struggling to put himself in prime birdie
positions during an up-and-down opening round on Thursday, defending
John Deere Classic champion Jordan Spieth carefully left himself 95
yards to the flag on the par-5 10th, his first hole Friday morning.
Spieth then wedged it to 3 feet for a birdie.
With 168 yards to the pin on the following hole, he drilled a full 7-iron to within 9 feet and rolled it home.
Just like that, the blossoming 20-year-old star was off to a solid birdie-birdie start on attacking Royal Liverpool Golf Course.
No, that’s not a typo.
Make no mistake. Spieth is focused this week on successfully defending his John Deere Classic title, his only US PGA Tour title so far. After firing a 7-under Friday 64, Spieth trails co-leaders William McGirt and Zach Johnson by the same five-shot deficit he faced at the midway point a year ago.
But the 20-year-old Texan also is working toward next week’s Open Championship at Hoylake, England.
“The thing is, I’m working on some stuff in my swing for next week,” he said. “It’s not quite there yet. It’s there if I’m able to be aggressive through the ball. But on shots where I have to take off some yardage, where I have to hit it easy or three-quarters, my timing is a little off.”
Spieth said he battled to find the right yardage numbers on Thursday, when he needed birdies on 16 and 17 to salvage an even-par 71.
“So it was nice to get it to an aggressive number on 10 so I could kind of just rip through the ball,” he said. “It went the right distance. And I was able to do the same on the next hole. I had good numbers today to be aggressive through the ball.”
With its wide, lush fairways, inviting greens and scoreboards typically awash in red numbers, TPC Deere Run never will be mistaken for the links of Royal Liverpool. Still, Spieth said it is possible to prepare for the Open while trying to win the Classic.
He played the Shell Houston Open the week before finishing tied for second at the Masters Tournament, but took the week off before the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where he tied for 17th.
“I didn’t play the week before THE PLAYERS, either,” he said of an event where he contended before fading to a T4 on Sunday. “But I like to play the week before a big event, get some competition. It puts some pressure on my putter. At Augusta, it worked."
This week, he's got more on his mind than his putter, though.
“I’m not working on anything specifically for a links course," Spieth said. "I’m just working on club face control. Out here, yeah, you need to hit the ball up in the air. Next week, it will change completely. But if I have that club face control, it’s not going to matter what course it is.
“I can win this tournament working on what I’m working on,” he added. “But ultimately, I want to be where I don’t have to think about it next week.”
With 168 yards to the pin on the following hole, he drilled a full 7-iron to within 9 feet and rolled it home.
Just like that, the blossoming 20-year-old star was off to a solid birdie-birdie start on attacking Royal Liverpool Golf Course.
No, that’s not a typo.
Make no mistake. Spieth is focused this week on successfully defending his John Deere Classic title, his only US PGA Tour title so far. After firing a 7-under Friday 64, Spieth trails co-leaders William McGirt and Zach Johnson by the same five-shot deficit he faced at the midway point a year ago.
But the 20-year-old Texan also is working toward next week’s Open Championship at Hoylake, England.
“The thing is, I’m working on some stuff in my swing for next week,” he said. “It’s not quite there yet. It’s there if I’m able to be aggressive through the ball. But on shots where I have to take off some yardage, where I have to hit it easy or three-quarters, my timing is a little off.”
Spieth said he battled to find the right yardage numbers on Thursday, when he needed birdies on 16 and 17 to salvage an even-par 71.
“So it was nice to get it to an aggressive number on 10 so I could kind of just rip through the ball,” he said. “It went the right distance. And I was able to do the same on the next hole. I had good numbers today to be aggressive through the ball.”
With its wide, lush fairways, inviting greens and scoreboards typically awash in red numbers, TPC Deere Run never will be mistaken for the links of Royal Liverpool. Still, Spieth said it is possible to prepare for the Open while trying to win the Classic.
He played the Shell Houston Open the week before finishing tied for second at the Masters Tournament, but took the week off before the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where he tied for 17th.
“I didn’t play the week before THE PLAYERS, either,” he said of an event where he contended before fading to a T4 on Sunday. “But I like to play the week before a big event, get some competition. It puts some pressure on my putter. At Augusta, it worked."
This week, he's got more on his mind than his putter, though.
“I’m not working on anything specifically for a links course," Spieth said. "I’m just working on club face control. Out here, yeah, you need to hit the ball up in the air. Next week, it will change completely. But if I have that club face control, it’s not going to matter what course it is.
“I can win this tournament working on what I’m working on,” he added. “But ultimately, I want to be where I don’t have to think about it next week.”
He won two years ago with swing coach Mike Bender filling in for regular caddie Damon Green, who was playing in the U.S. Senior Open. Green is competing in the Senior Open again this week in Oklahoma.
With Bender on an Alaskan cruise, Johnson’s bag is on the shoulder of Matt Kuchar’s regular looper, Lance Bennett.
“I wanted someone I kind of knew,” Johnson said after posting his 22nd straight round in the 60s at TPC Deere Run. “He’s a good friend and Matt and I are good buddies. Lance has made it very easy for me. We’re trying to play that really simple, boring golf and that’s kind of what Matt plays.”
SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 142 (2x71) players from USA unless stated
130 William McGirt 64 66, Zach Johnson 63 67
131 Steven Bowditch 64 67, Johnson Wagner 66 65, Brian Harman 63 68
133 Steve Stricker 68 65, Todd Hamilton 64 69, Ryan Moore 66 67, Rory Sabbatini (S Africa) 63 70.
SELECTED SCORE
135 Jordan Spieth 71 64
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Labels: US PGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, July 12, 2014
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