Spieth back on course
Spieth optimistic after winless 2018
HONOLULU – Jordan Spieth showed up in Hawaii three years ago hopeful that a new year would be more of a continuation than a fresh start. Back then, he was coming off two majors, five victories and the FedExCup title and he was No. 1 in the world.
He’s in a different spot at the Sony Open.
Spieth went through an entire year without a trophy for the first time as a pro. He didn’t have even a mathematical chance at the FedExCup because he didn’t make it to the Tour Championship for the first time. Spieth starts the year at No. 17.
So is this a fresh start or a continuation? In his case, a little of both.
“Thinking of something as a fresh start, that you can throw away some of the struggles from last season, is beneficial,” he said Wednesday. “But I was doing really good work as the season went on where I was focusing my work, which was in the putting. So I don’t want to necessarily wash all that away. I was doing the right stuff. It’s then just a con- tinuation of that work as I start to dial it in more and more.
“So yes and no,” he concluded. “I guess mentally, yes. But physically, no.”
He wasn’t even sure he was coming to Oahu until a few weeks ago. Spieth wasn’t eligible for the winners-only field at Kapalua. He got married over Thanksgiving weekend, which cut into a typical schedule of preparations for the new year. His expectations aren’t as high as they might be.
“Just after Christmas,” he said of his decision to play the Sony Open. “I had a good day practicing and said, ‘All right, I’m going.’ A couple of days after that it was, ‘Dang it, I’m not ready.’ Couple of days after that, ‘Yeah.’ I’m really glad I’m here, whether it goes well or not.”
The Sony Open started Thursday as the first full field of 2019, with 23 players who were at the Sentry Tournament of Champions last weekend. That includes Justin Thomas, who won at Waialae two years ago by opening with a 59 and breaking the PGA Tour’s record for 72 holes with a 253 total.
Patrick Reed is in the field, the first time Reed and Spieth have been in the same tournament since the Ryder Cup, remembered as much for the European victory as Reed blaming Spieth for them not playing together in France. Spieth and Thomas went 3-1 as partners, while Reed and Tiger Woods went 0-2.
“I was a bit surprised,” Spieth said about Reed’s post-Ryder Cup comments. “It didn’t bother me. I was just like, ‘Whoa.’ There was nothing lead up to that … nothing told me that was going to happen.”
He doesn’t expect any awkward moments, even if they’re paired at some point. Reed generally gets along well with everyone inside the ropes, though he tends to practice by himself.
“I don’t think anything will change with how we’ve talked to each other,” Spieth said. “It will be interesting if we’re competing on Sunday, what will be talked about outside of us. Between us, it won’t be anything extra than what there always is, which is peers trying to win a tournament.”
His last victory was the British Open in 2017, the third leg of the career Grand Slam. His putting stroke got away from him early last year, and about the time he sorted that out, the long game was no longer reliable. More than not winning, Spieth rarely contended. In his 23 events at stroke play, he missed the cut five times and finished at least 10 shots out of the lead at nine other tournaments.
Spieth does have one concern starting the new year. He already figured out he can’t play effectively while wearing his wedding ring.
“It’s just my putting,” he said. “When I’m cross-handed, kind of jams into my grip. Unfortunately, that means I’ll probably lose some rings.”