Timely return to winner’s circle for Spieth
AFTER nearly four winless years, 27-year-old American Jordan Spieth is back in business.
The one-time wunderkind picked up his first PGA Tour win a couple weeks shy of his 20th birthday in 2013 and went on win the Masters - his first of three Major titles - two years later, kicking off a remarkable early-career run. But he hadn't hoisted a trophy since the British Open in 2017.
That drought ended on Sunday as he beat compatriot Charley Hoffman by two strokes at the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio, saying after the final round that it hadn't completely hit him yet that he was back in the winner's circle.
"It's been a road that's had a lot of tough days. I've had people in my corner that have always believed in me even when I've kind of believed less in myself," said Spieth. "I just feel a lot of gratitude to those who have helped me kind of get back here."
The win could provide muchneeded momentum for the 12-time PGA Tour winner, who came into the tournament largely looking to finetune his short game before travelling to Augusta this week to compete in the Masters.
"I've got quite a bit to piece together in my game, so it's actually pretty easy for me to put my head down and actually focus on getting to work for this next week," said Spieth, adding that he hoped to work on his swing. "The consistency and the clean-up and kind of the tightness of the swing has still quite a ways to go."
Meanwhile, four-time Major champion Brooks Koepka said on Sunday he feels he can win the Masters despite undergoing surgery on his right knee less than three weeks ago. Koepka dislocated his kneecap and sustained ligament damage early last month and had an operation on March 16.
"If I knew I was going to finish second, I wouldn't have shown up," Koepka said at Augusta National, where he got some practice in ahead of the Major. "I feel I can win. I'll play ... I'll be all right."
The 30-year-old former world No 1, who has struggled with left knee and hip issues in the past, said he was back hitting balls only seven days after surgery.
He was last in action at the World Golf Championships event in Florida in late February, where he finished tied for second. He then missed the Players Championship and Honda Classic before having surgery in California.
"The goal was to play Augusta and so we were going to see if we could play ... A couple of bad days or anything like that it could set you back quite a while," Koepka said. "It's been seven-plus hours every day in rehab. Between getting my neck straightened away and the knee ... I'm going to be living on the (rehab) table, making sure I can get comfortable and so it feels good."
The Masters begins on Thursday.