Newtown Square (United States) (AFP) – Jordan Spieth makes his 10th attempt to complete a career Grand Slam at this week’s PGA Championship, trying to snap a nine-year major win drought. The 32-year-old American won the 2015 Masters and US Open and the 2017 British Open, but has struggled in recent years, taking only two PGA Tour titles since capturing the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale.
While he has not cracked the top 10 in a PGA Tour event since last year’s Memorial, Spieth is confident he can contend this week at Aronimink. “I’ve been driving the ball really well which is a nice premium. I feel like that puts me in a position to contend here versus maybe when I hadn’t been in other PGAs,” Spieth said Monday. “Driver has to be a weapon in the PGA Championship, so if I can continue on the path I’ve been on, then that leaves me with plenty of opportunities. My game has been getting better and better. It’s plenty good to have a chance to win. It’s about working my way into contention.”
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World number 51 Spieth, who last won at the 2022 PGA Heritage event, produced his best PGA Championship result in 2015, finishing second to Australia’s Jason Day at Whistling Straits. In nine prior tries to complete a career Slam at the PGA, his best finish was third in 2019. “It would be amazing, because it’s just a very short list in history,” Spieth said of the career Slam. “Just winning this tournament in general would be very special.”
“Having won the other three, that’s the one that everyone focuses on. But when I’m out here, and certainly when I get out on the golf course, I’ve been in contention a couple of times in this tournament. It didn’t feel any different than any other majors, so I wouldn’t expect to if I get there this week.”
Spieth resists adding pressure to an already tension-packed week. “As far as the career grand slam, this tournament is always highlighted. If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason. But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way,” he said. “Just go out and get ready for the first hole, get a good game plan in and attack it the way it needs to be attacked.”
Spieth doesn’t expect his reaction to be as emotional as that of Rory McIlroy when the Northern Ireland star won the Masters last year to complete a career Slam. “My situation was certainly different than his at Augusta, so I think that was unique to him,” Spieth said. “I don’t think it would feel similar.”
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