Spieth’s unusual problem at Thanksgiving: keeping weight on

Tiger ‘pain free’ and ready for return, says Day

Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton powers his car ahead of Renault’s German driver Nico Hulkenberg during

the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Nov 12. (AFP)

SYDNEY, Nov 22, (AFP): America’s Jordan Spieth returns to action at the Australian Open this week pondering an unusual problem: how to keep weight on at Thanksgiving.

Unlike many elite golfers who spend hours sweating in the gym trying to slim down, Spieth has always battled not to lose weight, a condition which forces him to constantly tinker with his swing as his body shape fluctuates.

As he prepares to defend the Australian Open title for a second time, Spieth said he has embarked on a new diet and in 2015 after winning his first Australian Open at the end of 2014, shooting a final round course-record 63 which he credits for giving him the self-belief to succeed at the majors. This year, Spieth followed up his second Australian Open victory in late 2016 by winning the British Open for the first time.

“I saw what it did after 2014, to be able to travel across the globe and see that your game travels and then to get to kind of a worldclass field at this point in the year,” the 24-year-old said.

“It’s a great time of the year to gear things back up in a fantastic event that I’ve had success at and seen it propel into the next season.”

Spieth is the clear favourite to again get his name engraved on the Stonehaven Cup this week, with Australia’s Jason Day looming as his biggest threat.

Day beat Spieth in a final-round duel to win the 2015 PGA Championship and said he was relishing the prospect of going head-to-head with the Texan.

“I would love to play with Spieth on Sunday, last group, that would be the greatest thing,” Day said.

“This course does suit up well for him and I think it does for me as well, as long as I’m driving it straight, then I’ve got the same opportunity as he does.”

Like Spieth, Day is hoping the Australian Open, starting on Thursday at the Australian Golf Club in suburban Sydney, will be a springboard to bigger things in the new year.

Day slipped to 12th in the world rankings after losing his 51-week reign as world number one in February to Dustin

Spieth

Johnston. While Day has won 10 times on the PGA Tour, the 30-year-old Australian has never won his national championship and his only professional win in his homeland was at the 2013 World Cup of golf when he teamed up with Adam Scott.

Day turned down the opportunity to represent Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics, saying he was fearful of the Zika virus, but said he wants to compete at the next Olympics at Tokyo in 2012.

“Japan’s one of my favourite countries to ever visit, so if I have the opportunity to get on the team, I’m getting my plane ticket straight away. I’m looking forward to playing,” Day said.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods is waking up “pain free” for the first time in three years ahead of his return to golf at next week’s Hero World Challenge, his fellow former world number one Jason Day said on Wednesday.

Woods, who has not played competitive golf for 10 months as he recovers from a fourth operation on his back in three years, will be making his comeback next week at his own tournament in Albany, Bahamas.

“I did talk to him and he did say it’s the best he’s ever felt in three years, he doesn’t wake up with pain anymore, which is great,” Day said on Wednesday ahead of the Australian Open.

“I totally understand where he’s coming from because sometimes I wake up and it takes me about 10 minutes to get out of bed. For him to be in pain for three years is very frustrating.”

The winner of five tournaments in 2013, 41-year-old Woods has played just 19 events since.

The 14-times major champion made a previous comeback at the Hero World Challenge last year after nearly 16 months on the sidelines, finishing 15th in a final field of 17.