U. S. Open defense, course test Spieth

OAKMONT, PA. Ladies are no longer consoling Jordan Spieth with their prayers in the grocery store. A cathartic win in May in his home state did wonders. Jack Nicklaus gave him his blessing.

If Spieth is to look back and draw on anything as he goes forward, it will be that he’s the only one on the planet who was but a handful of strokes from winning the last five major championships.

The world’s No. 2- ranked player is over his Masters meltdown heading into his title defense in the 116th U. S. Open at venerable Oakmont Country Club.

“I just made two poor- timed swings. It happens,” Spieth said Monday with his best straight face, referring to consecutive shots that landed in Rae’s Creek in the heart of Amen Corner on Sunday at Augusta National.

First a 9- iron, then a wedge got rinsed, and his five- shot lead with nine holes to play was gone. Instead of winning a second consecutive green jacket, he placed the iconic draping on Danny Willett.

Spieth understood the question had to be asked about his state of mind, because this is the first major since the Masters. It has irritated him a few times, but he handles each query with composure and straightforward talk.

He repeated that he and his team have moved on, especially after his thrilling win in the Dean & DeLuca Invitational at Colonial in Fort Worth, near his hometown of Dallas. He came home with six birdies in the last nine holes and 65 strokes in all to win by three.

“We went and won, and I think that was really big for us to actually win a tournament,” said Spieth, who after the victory called it “one of the most important days ( of my career), no matter what happens in the next 30 years.

“Not just contend, but to actually close one out, and so now I

can draw back on those last few holes, the pressure that I felt and the speed control and the control of the ball to the most minute detail, which comes down to short game that we had at the end there,” he said. “So honestly, I think it’s out of our heads now just from that one experience at Colonial.

“That was a huge week for us, especially to win before any of the next majors. If we can get ourselves in contention here, I can draw back on Colonial.”

Nicklaus, the most decorated major champion in golf history, was asked about Spieth’s collapse two weeks ago. Nicklaus brought up one of his few collapses — in the 1960 U. S. Open. Nicklaus was 20 and, playing with Ben Hogan, had the lead with six holes to play. He looked at the scoreboard.

“And I proceeded to fall apart like a $ 3 suitcase,” Nicklaus said. “Three- putted 13, three- putted 14, missed a couple of short birdie putts and bogeyed the last hole to lose by two shots.

“I look back on it and say, ‘ You know, I would have loved to have won that tournament.’ But maybe the best thing that ever happened to me was the learning experience that I had from it. Did it destroy my life? No. And it won’t destroy Jordan’s life. I learned from it. I put what I learned there to use. Did I do it again? Sure. But did I do it to the same degree? No. ...

“So probably what happened to Jordan at Augusta, he’ll learn from that, and it will be one of the best things that ever happened to him. ... He’ll be just fine.”

Any lingering demons are diminished by the challenge that stands in front of Spieth — winning a second consecutive U. S. Open and battling Oakmont, where the rough is thick, the fairways narrow and the greens as tough if not tougher than at Augusta National. The last time the course hosted the Open, in 2007, Angel Cabrera won at 5 over.

Those two challenges will consume all of Spieth’s might and mental acuteness this week as he tries to become the first backto- back champion since Curtis Strange in 1988- 89.

Asked how he reflected on winning at Chambers Bay last year, Spieth said, “We conquered the hardest test in golf. That takes place once a year, and it’s at one of the hardest venues this year.”

The U. S. Open stands apart because of its unpredictability.

“Winning a U. S. Open is a different experience than winning at any other venue,” Spieth added. “You learn that literally anything can happen, especially out here where the way the course is set up right now, the way the rough and the bunkers, with the amount of sand that’s in the bunkers, the fact that it’s very rare to be able to hit a green in regulation from a fairway bunker.

“If you don’t hit fairways on the last five holes, you could lose a four- or five- shot lead like that. Just not even doing anything wrong. You can hit decent shots that just barely miss the fairway. And all of a sudden, you have to do well to have 10 feet for par. ...

“So as much as I speak to major championships being like two events in one, you have to have the patience for two rounds each round.”

Spieth played 27 holes at Oakmont about six weeks ago, when the course was soft. Now it’s firm and fast. He played 18 on Sunday and nine Monday.

“Six weeks ago, I said I’d sign for even par,” Spieth said. “( Now) I don’t think anyone’s going to be in the red come 72 holes. So it will be a challenge, but I’m certainly looking forward to it.”

He said he and his team, including caddie Michael Greller and swing coach Cameron McCormick, have dissected the course and formulated a strategy. Of course, storms could alter the course of action ( rain is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday), but Spieth is conditioned to adapt.

“( McCormick is) really good at not only getting me mentally prepared but dissecting the golf courses with me and Michael to feel like we have the best game plan,” Spieth said. “Other than that, a lot of it’s just mental. I feel that we’ve geared everything up to peak at a major. And because I feel that way, it makes me as confident as I can be. ...

“I had a week off. I got my legs under me after a four- week stretch. I feel very confident about my game right now. I wish the tournament started tomorrow.”