Spieth has no ‘burning desire’ to be youngest to win career grand slam
Jordan Spieth insists he is not feeling the pressure of trying to complete the career grand slam because he has no “burning desire” to become the youngest to achieve the feat.
Spieth’s dramatic Open victory at Royal Birkdale means he needs to win the US PGA Championship to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in having won all four majors. Woods was 24 years, seven months and 25 days old when he won the 2000 Open at St Andrews by eight shots, while Spieth celebrated his 24th birthday just four days after The Open.
But while all eyes are on the world No 2 this week at Quail Hollow, the man himself appears remarkably relaxed about the chance to write his name in the record books.
“Expectations, I really don’t feel any,” Spieth said. “This is a chance to complete the career grand slam, I’m here, so I’m going to go ahead and try. But I believe I’m going to have plenty of chances and I’m young enough to believe in my abilities that it will happen at some point. Do I have to be the youngest? No, I don’t feel that kind of pressure. Would it be really cool? Absolutely.
“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. It’s not a burning desire to have to be the youngest to do something, and that would be the only reason there would be added expectations.
“If I don’t win one in the next ten years, then maybe there’s addedpressurethenandhopefully we don’t have to have this conversation in ten years. But it was only two weeks ago that I was able to get the third leg and that’s so fresh in my mind. I’m so happy about that that I can’t add pressure to this week. I’m freerolling and it feels good.”
Spieth says his biggest challenge this week will be taming a Quail Hollow course which will play every inch of its 7,600 yards due to the wet weather.
“This is a very, very, very tough course and it’s one that I need to drive the ball better than I’ve been driving it to have a chance to win this week,” Spieth added. “I’ve been working hard on it and seeing some improvements. So as long as I can do that, then I should have a chance.”