Sport

Spieth flying fit as he sets sights on Major hat-trick at Open

Jordan Spieth (left) celebrates with his caddie Michael Greller after winning the Masters golf tournament in April. He is now going for three Majors in a row at this weekend's Open Championship
Jordan Spieth (left) celebrates with his caddie Michael Greller after winning the Masters golf tournament in April. He is now going for three Majors in a row at this weekend's Open Championship Jordan Spieth (left) celebrates with his caddie Michael Greller after winning the Masters golf tournament in April. He is now going for three Majors in a row at this weekend's Open Championship

TWO-TIME Major champion Jordan Spieth insists he is ready for everything the Old Course throws at him this week as he goes in search of the third leg of a historic single-season grand slam.

The American arrived in St Andrews late on Monday following a trans-Atlantic flight straight after his victory in a play-off at the John Deere Classic in Illinois.

Most of his rivals for the Claret Jug had either already had a couple of days’ practice on the course or had been playing links golf across the Firth of Forth at the Scottish Open in Gullane.

It may not seem the ideal preparation for his bid to become only the second man to win the first three majors of the year but Spieth is confident he will be ready when he tees off on Thursday - when the weather is expected to take another turn for the worse with more rain and wind.

“I wouldn’t have played last week if I didn’t think I would be 100 per cent by the time we started here,” he said.

“The hardest part is definitely jet lag and probably the fact that we’ve had perfect weather playing this golf course, so it seems a little easier than I think it’ll play.

“I would have liked to see tougher conditions in practice rounds to get used to prevailing winds and wind switches but that’s part of the fun and the adjustment.

“If we wanted to get good weather we’d go play in California. We come over here because we want to embrace the opportunity of handling these conditions.

“It looks like tomorrow morning will be pretty nice conditions to get this tournament started, so there’s a little bit of pressure getting off to a good start.

“But Friday looks like it’s going to be brutal for everybody: rain and wind in the morning and then extreme winds in the afternoon.

“I certainly am trying to look at it as positively as possible because I don’t feel like there’s any other way to go about it.”

Spieth has done some advance work on a simulator in his home but he accepts that does not prepare him properly for actually being here.

“I have a full swing golf simulator at my house and I figured why not play the Old Course since we’re heading there?” he added.

“But it’s still not the same as being here and preparing.

“The course was a lot easier with 68 degrees and no breeze coming out of the air-conditioner in that room.

“So I got over here and the real preparation really started. We played 18 holes late into the evening on Monday, then I played a loop of I think 10 holes yesterday, and I’ll play another full round today.

“I think that’s more golf than I usually play going into a tournament but at the same time, this one is a little more tricky, so I feel like it’s necessary.”

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is recovering well from the ankle injury which has prevented him from defending his Open title this week, although no date has been set for his return.

McIlroy ruptured an ankle ligament playing football with friends on July 4 and announced four days later he would not compete at St Andrews as he took a “long-term” view of the injury.

Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke suggested that meant McIlroy would not return until “early next year” as he accepted an award on his fellow Northern Irishman’s behalf at the Old Course on Tuesday.

But it is understood Clarke’s comment was meant as a joke and a spokesman for McIlroy said:

“There was no basis for Darren’s comments. Rory’s rehabilitation is progressing well but his return date is not yet known.”

McIlroy, who could be unable to defend the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on August 6 and the US PGA Championship the following week at Whistling Straits, will be replaced as world number one if Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth succeeds him as Open champion on Sunday.