Spieth relaxed as he chases history

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jordan Spieth already has shown a remarkable sense of the moment.

He earned his PGA Tour card by holing a bunker shot on the 18th hole and winning a playoff. In the final round before the Presidents Cup selections, he shot 62 while playing with Phil Mickelson, who told U.S. captain Fred Couples, “Dude, you’ve got to pick this guy.” And right when it looked as though Spieth might throw away another major, he nearly made an ace and followed that with an eagle on his way to winning the British Open.

That was his third major, and it brought Spieth, newly 24, to the grandest moment of all.

No one has ever won the career Grand Slam at a younger age. No one has ever completed it at the PGA Championship.

Spieth has never appeared more relaxed.

“There will be pressure,” he said. “This is a major championship. This is one of the four pivotal weeks of the year that we focus on. So there will certainly be pressure. I’m simply stating there won’t be added expectations or pressure . ... ”

Spieth doesn’t see his greatest challenge as the history at stake. He considers it the Quail Hollow Club course and the strong field.

Rory McIlroy comes to mind.

So do Dustin Johnson and Jason Day.

McIlroy is a slight favorite, mainly because he has won two times at Quail Hollow — one year with a 62, the other with a 61 — and has finished out of the top 10 just one time in his seven appearances.

“If you’re matched up on Sunday you obviously want to be able to play against somebody like Rory who has four major championships and is one of the top couple most accomplished players in this field,” Spieth said. “But he is one to fear in that position because of what he’s capable of doing and how he’s going to do it.”