Jordan Spieth was back to his very best on and off the course during day one of the Sony Open, soaring to the top of the leaderboard in Hawaii before offering a brutally honest description of his past struggles – and it’s certainly one we can all relate to.
The Texan carded seven birdies en route to a 64 at Waialae Country Club to hold a share for the lead with Taylor Montgomery and Chris Kirk, but it was his post-round comments which had us admiring the three-time major winner even more than his play on the course.
Speaking to media after the round, Spieth – who went winless between 2017 and 2021 – provided an insight into his rollercoaster form over the past few years, admitting he often tries to “fake it as best as I can” while teeing up on the PGA Tour.
“I would say like I started really well in 2018, 2019, maybe a couple events in 2020 where a day like today where I shot five or six-under to start,” Spieth said when asked how he handles expectations. “I think I remember doing it at Travelers one time and the PGA in 2019. I just remember thinking, I know where my game is at and I can maybe fake it as best I can, but it’s not. I don’t really have great control.
“I used my hands really well for a couple days. Conveniently the first two in a row. So it’s not like you — it’s not like I didn’t believe. It’s just I have a good idea of where things are at and if I have that shot or don’t have that shot.”
Landing two wins since breaking his drought in 2021, Spieth then exposed how the last couple of years have been different while sharing that he often wonders “how do I hold this s**t together.” Straight out of the ‘one of us catalogue’, here’s what the Ryder Cup star had to say.
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“The last couple years have been a little different where off to a good start and I’m like, okay, I think I can improve a little to gain just a little bit more control, but I was in really good control,” Spieth continued. “And for me, it’s about freedom. It’s not separating arms from the body and having to save shots. It’s feeling like I’m in front of them and being able to hold them off and nice fluid strokes on the greens.
“That’s really all it comes down to. Seems simple, but when you’re still fighting the urge to want to hit it hard or get over some bad habits, days like today I’m not surprised, but what I will say is I’m confident relative to other time periods I’ve been off to similar starts, which is a really good place to be.
“I believe I can shoot 5- or 6-under each day out here. Not to say that that means it’ll happen, but there are other times I would be sitting there going, how do I hold this s**t together, to be honest. Seriously.”
Seriously, Jordan.
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