Spieth’s slam shot will not weigh heavy, says Watson
Legend believes American has the mental strength to ignore hype in attempt to complete full set of majors
Jordan Spieth will not just be trying to join golf ’s greats in Charlotte in 10 days’ time, but to leave behind some of golf ’s greats as well. And one of the greatest living members of the latter group believes that his young countryman possesses the key ingredient to succeed where he, himself, failed.
Tom Watson never did complete the set. He won eight majors, including five Opens, but the US PGA Championship eluded him. So, he was stuck on three. No shame there. Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Sam Snead are just three of the legends who also fell one short.
And, as much as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen will command the headlines at Quail Hollow Country Club, as the world tunes in to see whether Spieth can become the youngest to join the exclusive club, the tales of the nearly men will be lurking in the shadows. It is not just Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, Spieth will be dared to leapfrog.
Except, in Watson’s mind, those potentially damaging images will not get close to invading Spieth’s consciousness. The extraordinary events at Royal Birkdale last Sunday convinced him as much. “I don’t expect Jordan to feel any more nerves than at any other tournament,” the 67-year-old said. “Yeah, the media will build it up and keep yelling at him ‘grand slam’, ‘grand slam’ and he’ll answer the questions, but all he’ll be thinking about is that tournament, the next tee shot, the next iron shot, the next putt.
“Because that is one of his main strengths. He has the ability to put everything behind him and ignore what is too far in front of him and just play that shot at hand. Just look at the way he reacted on the 13th after that drive. As soon as he had walked off the tee and muttered to himself, it had gone. He didn’t dwell on it, he walked over to it and figured out the best way forward from there.
“His decision to take the drop where he did [on the practice range], showed incredible awareness when most golfers’ minds would have been totally scrambled. And he did that at 23 years of age.”
Having played a few of his favourite Scottish links, Watson was flying down to Cardiff, but did not want to miss the finale. On landing, he made the journey to the residence where he has been staying for this week’s Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl as quickly as he could. He was amazed by what he saw.
“He had fallen one behind [Matt] Kuchar on the 13th, who had then gone on to play the next four holes in two-under but was two behind going down the last,” Watson said. “It was the greatest turnaround in golf, for sure. He went from being so many over after 12 holes, hitting a really bad drive, getting off with a five and then going, bang, bang, bang, bang. Kuchar would have been on the 14th thinking ‘here we go, if I can just get this to 15 feet’. And then Jordan sticks it stiff and doesn’t miss a shot from then on, rolling in what, a 50-footer for eagle on the 15th? It was something special. But then Jordan is special.” Watson got to know the Texan when captaining America’s ill-fated attempt to win back the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014. It was Spieth’s debut and Watson was instantly drawn. “Jordan’s a nice person, a good person, who always does and says the right thing and, although you can see that winning mentality in his eyes, he wins in the correct manner,” Watson said. “Golf is lucky to have him.”
In that sense, Spieth might even remind Watson of a fresh-faced kid from Kansas City who was nicknamed “Huckleberry Dillinger” in his early years on tour. Watson’s innocent look belied his killer instinct and throughout his career, his soft, amenable and generous character always struggled to conceal that inner hardness, which eventually would burst into full viewing at the business end of a tournament. If Birkdale told us anything, then it must be that Spieth is this era’s most natural-born winner. Having turned 24 last Thursday, Spieth will
‘It was the greatest turnaround in golf. It was something special. But then Jordan is special’
Walter Hagen
An 11-time major winner whose haul included four Opens and five US PGAs. The one missing from his collection, the Masters, was established after his prime. His best result there was tied 11th.
Byron Nelson Six of the greats who were stuck on three majors Lee Trevino
He may not have won the Masters (twice tied-10th his best effort), but, aged 49, did become the oldest to lead after the opening round in 1989, shooting a five-under par.
uncork the champagne and join the world’s best at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron this week and, from there, will fly across a couple of states for what could be the four days of his sporting life. At the very least, Watson believes Spieth will again prove that in golf it takes all sorts.
Sam Snead
Runner-up in the US Open an incredible five times, but a seven-time major winner and among the best there has ever been.
Arnold Palmer Tom Watson
A five-time Open champion, including the unforgettable Duel in the Sun victory over Jack Nicklaus in 1977, but never won the US PGA despite losing a play-off early in his career.
“What Jordan shows the others is that it’s all about the score,” Watson said. “It doesn’t matter how ugly it may look at times, or how beautiful, it’s about what your scorecards add up to at the end. He understands that better than anyone and has that mental ability to drag the best out of it in the highest-pressure situations, even if he is playing bad. That is a hell of a skill.”
And if he makes history, Watson will be delighted. Certainly, there will be no personal reflections of what could have been.
“I can’t say that the thought of the grand slam affected my performances in the PGA at all,” Watson said. “I wanted to win, sure, but I wanted to win every tournament I played in and I still do. I didn’t get more nervous playing the PGA, no way. The one time I did put more pressure on myself was at the US Open.
“That was the one I wanted, my national open. It’s such a tough test, with the narrow fairways, the thick rough … I remember my dad saying, ‘If you win the US Open then you can REALLY play golf ’.
“And eventually I did [in 1982] and it meant a lot. What can I say, I had some good shots at the PGA, but it didn’t quite happen. I’m not hung up on it and never was. And I’m sure Jordan won’t become fixated, either. He has time on his side. Gee, he has all the time in the world.”