Woods taking Masters pressure off Spieth
AUSTIN: Jordan Spieth says the hype around Tiger Woods’ captivating injury comeback will allow him to take an unexpected underdog status into the Masters in two weeks.
Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion and twice runnerup at Augusta National, is winless since his dramatic British Open victory in July.
It has resulted in the threetime major champion slipping down the odds list for the year’s first major, while Woods has firmed into outright favourite courtesy of consecutive topfive results in his past two PGA Tour starts.
His resurgence has captured the sporting world’s attention given Woods was sidelined for 10 months last year while he recovered from spinal fusion surgery.
But fourtime Masters winner Woods iced his last event before
Augusta with a vintage finalround charge to share fifth at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Speaking in Texas before the World Golf Championships Match Play, Spieth has found a silver lining to being put on the backburner.
‘‘Only a month or two ago, I might have been tied for the favourite with DJ [Dustin John son] and now I’m not even on the board,’’ Spieth joked yesterday.
‘‘Man, it’s nice being an underdog at Augusta. I haven’t been since 2014.’’
The 2018 edition is tipped to be the most anticipated Masters in history with a host of big names finding form this year.
Threetime Masters winner Phil Mickelson broke a winless drought of almost five years when he claimed the WGCMexico Championship this month.
Other winners on the PGA Tour this year include Bubba Watson, the 2012 and 2014 Masters champ, as well as world No 1 Johnson and big guns Jason Day, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy.
The potential showdown is not lost on Spieth (24).
‘‘The storylines heading into this year’s Masters are as exciting as they’ve been in a long time,’’ Spieth said.
‘‘It’s more incentive to want to be a part of that mix Sunday.’’
McIlroy joins Spieth and Mickelson as prime candidates with a chance to complete golf’s coveted career grand slam this year.
The Northern Irishman laid down the marker with a stunning threeshot victory at the Palmer event and gets first crack, with the Masters the only major trophy he has not lifted.
‘‘Even if I hadn’t won last week, just to see the signs my golf game was in good shape was good enough going into Augusta,’’ McIlroy said. — AAP