The Star Malaysia

Spieth trying to buck the odds at PGA Championsh­ip

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FARMINGDAL­E: Jordan Spieth needs to win the PGA Championsh­ip for the career Grand Slam.

US Masters champion Tiger Woods needs to win the next three Majors to capture an unpreceden­ted calendar Grand Slam.

Based on how their seasons have gone, the question now is who has the better chance.

Spieth smiled at the suppositio­n, and then tried to play along.

He first considered how physics major Bryson DeChambeau would approach it and figured that winning one Major would be easier than winning three.

And then he considered the Wisconsin man who placed a US$100,000 (RM416,00) wager on 100-1 odds of Woods winning all four Majors this year, a bet that would return US$10mil (RM42mil).

“I would have better odds than that, right?” Spieth said.

For someone mired in a slump – a word Spieth himself said on Wednesday on the eve of the PGA Championsh­ip – the 25-yearold Texan didn’t appear overly concerned about the opportunit­y in front of him at Bethpage Black.

Only five other players have won the career Grand Slam. No one has completed it at the PGA Championsh­ip.

Spieth wouldn’t appear to be a candidate at the moment.

He is winless since getting the third leg of the Slam in the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale.

And while he had chances on the back nine of two Majors last year, he hasn’t come close to winning since then.

In the eight stroke-play events this year when he played the weekend, Spieth on average has finished 14.5 strokes behind the winner.

He has yet to finish in the top 20, with his best result a tie for 21st at the Masters.

He talks mostly about progress and consistenc­y, both defined more by what he feels than what anyone else sees.

“I’ve shot some low rounds, but piecing together four has been difficult this season so far,” Spieth said.

“I think it’s gotten more progressiv­ely consistent throughout the year, and out here you’re going to need that kind of consistenc­y.

“You need your bad rounds to be held at about par to win this tournament, and you need your good rounds to go deep enough.

“If I can continue to make the amount of birdies I’ve been making and then just limit the mistakes a little bit, then I should be right in it.” — AP

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