The loss at the players

view became blurred after the Masters and the Players in 2014. “It’s not fun being that close and having opportunities and being in the lead on Sunday and not pulling it off,” Spieth said after finishing three strokes behind Martin Kaymer, his 74 making him the only player among the top-10 finishers who did not break par. Adds McCormick: “The Players Championship was a more bitter pill to swallow than the Masters. That made the rest of the year a bit more of an uphill climb than it should have been.”

For the rest of the season, Spieth had only two more top-10s. His performances in the remaining majors were disappointing: T-17 in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, T-36 in the Open Championship at Hoylake, a missed cut in the PGA at Valhalla. “The holes look smaller,” he conceded.

But Spieth’s process hadn’t stopped, and a breakthrough occurred after the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. Spieth and Patrick Reed were the U.S. team’s best pair, undefeated in three matches. Spieth felt the intense pressure and adrenaline of the matches reawakened something inside. But when he lost the crucial opening final- day singles match against Graeme McDowell after being 3 up on the front nine, Spieth was shaken: “I feel like I let my team down. They put me out there first, out there with a full amount of trust to get the job

april 2016

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