Spieth: I have already had a fantastic career

JORDAN SPIETH has not lifted a trophy since the 2017 British Open and has drifted to 21st in the world rankings but the Texan says he would have had a good career even if he never wins again and will not go chasing results. The former world No 1 triumphed 11 times on the PGA Tour before turning 24 but is coming off the first disappointing year of his career. He has seemed out of sorts since a poor final round at last year’s British Open at Carnoustie, where he shared the lead starting on Sunday before fading to a tie for ninth. Spieth is in action this week at Pebble Beach, where he won two years ago, for the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am that is played on three courses on the Monterey Peninsula in northern California. He shot a fine five-under 66 in his first round yesterday at Monterey. ‘Your career is not defined by a couple of bad years and I could have really poor years the rest of my career and still have a pretty fantastic career,’ Spieth (above) said. ‘If I think about it that way it it certainly makes me happier, frees me up a bit. I’m in a good place now.’ Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell are the Irishmen in action. Lowry signed for a one-under 71 at Spyglass Hill, while McDowell was four under through 13 at Pebble Beach, where he won the US Open in 2010.