The next time you see U.S. Open and Masters champion Jordan Spieth will be at the John Deere Classic, July 9-12.
The Deere was Spieth’s first-ever PGA Tour win and you have to admire his loyalty.
You see, there’s a problem, perhaps.
The John Deere is the week before the Open Championship at St. Andrews (July 16-19) where Spieth will make a run at the cherished Claret Jug. The problem is, Spieth will have only three days to try and prep for the championship on a course where knowledge is everything.
St. Andrews, the home of golf, is a point A to point B to point C type of challenge. There are lethal bunkers everywhere and by lethal we mean the type that are basically a penalty, you hit a sand wedge out and take your medicine.
Those brutal bunkers are everywhere, including the middle of some fairways. Precise shot placement is required.
The preparation that most players use is the Scottish Open, played the same time as the John Deere. It allows Americans time to adjust to the time change and the weather. The routine worked perfectly for Phil Mickelson in 2013.
In the meantime, Spieth will take two weeks off before the Deere. With today’s technology, he can play virtual rounds of golf at St. Andrews, but it’s not the same as the real thing.
Without extensive knowledge, the task will be more than tough.
But so is winning the Masters and U.S. Open in the same season.
