Spieth moves on quickly to last major

JORDAN Spieth hit the reset button after the US Open, a prudent decision to keep from looking in the rearview mirror.

Gone was the burden of trying to repeat 2015 by winning the Masters and US Open in the same year. This was all about looking ahead at two more majors, not so much to salvage the year but the chance to make it another great one. And now, even that is about to end.

Golf, known for its deliberate pace, is on warp speed this year.

‘‘I had said after the US Open it felt like now the second half is starting,’’ Spieth said. ‘‘And all of a sudden, you know, that’s the end of the majors for the year.’’ Blame it on Rio. Golf is back in the Olympics for the first time since 1904. To make room on the schedule, the PGA Championship agreed to move up to the final weekend of July.

From a claret jug to the Wanamaker Trophy with barely enough time to breathe.

Ready or not, the final major starts Thursday (Friday, NZT) at Baltusrol Golf Club.

The PGA Championship has the strongest field of all the majors, and it really stands out in an Olympic year. No-one is skipping Baltusrol except for injury, while the Olympics will have only eight of the top 25 in the world.

For years, the slogan of the final major was ``Glory’s Last Shot,’’ and that still applies. This is one last chance for players to reshape their year, to turn a good season into a great one.

That starts with Spieth, defending champion Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.

They began 2016 as the modern version of the ‘‘Big Three’’ because they had traded turns at No 1 in the world, they had combined to win five of the previous six majors and there were all in their 20s.

But going into Baltusrol, all three are in danger of being shut out in the majors this year.

Spieth is having a very good year, and he needs reminded of that every now and then. He has won twice, including in his home state of Texas. He was one bad swing away from winning the Masters again. It just feels like a failure compared with last year, when he won two majors

‘‘Had last year not happened I’d be having a lot of positive questions,’’ he said. ‘‘Instead, most of the questions I get are comparing to last year and, therefore, negative. Because it’s not to the same standard. So that’s almost tough to then convince myself that you’re having a good year when nobody else ... even if you guys think it is, the questions I get make me feel like it’s not.’’

One major could change the outlook.