‘PGA win could make this best year’

Jordan Spieth enters the PGA Championship more relaxed than he has ever felt before a major tournament, saying on Wednesday a victory this week could make this a better campaign than his breakthrough 2015 season.

The 24-year-old American, who captured his third major title at last month’s Open Championship, could become the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam with a victory in the showdown that starts Thursday at Quail Hollow.

And that liberating sense of achievement from his victory at Royal Birkdale still resonates with Spieth.

“I’m free-rolling. And it feels good,” Spieth said. “I’m about as free and relaxed at a major than I think I’ve ever felt.

“Almost like I’ve accomplished something so great this year that anything else that happens, I can accept. That takes that pressure, that expectation away.”

World No 2 Spieth, the 2015 Masters and US Open champion, could become only the sixth man to sweep the four major titles in a career after Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.

But making history this week doesn’t add any extra weight for Spieth this week because the age mark holds little special meaning for him.

“Do I have to be the youngest? No, I don’t feel that kind of pressure. Would it be really cool? Absolutely,” Spieth said.