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How Spieth’s and Morikawa’s Play at British Open Can Help Your Game

By Kathlene Bissell

US golfer Jordan Spieth plays a shot from the 18th fairway during his final round on day 4 of The 149th British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George's, Sandwich in south-east England on July 18, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
US golfer Jordan Spieth plays a shot from the 18th fairway during his final round on day 4 of The 149th British Open Golf Championship at Royal St George's, Sandwich in south-east England on July 18, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa will never be accused of winning long drive contests, but they finished first and second in the British Open. Does this mean we have been focusing on the wrong things for success on the golf course? It’s starting to look like it.

A few weeks before the start of the British Open, Collin Morikawa was a mention, not a top pick, although Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee went out on the proverbial limb and selected him on Wednesday before the tournament.

Most people were focused on Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Kopeka. On their fight for dominance.  On Koepka’s record in majors.  On the distance they could hit the ball. With Royal St. George’s being a relatively short major championship venue, it seemed that the course could become a pitch and putt for them.

It turned out there was pitching, but it was pitching and hacking out of the rough. Or pitching a fit, as DeChambeau did when he couldn’t find enough fairways and started to blame the driver instead of the drivee. Koepka had more success than DeChambeau, but not enough to overcome his errors.

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What derailed the longer-is-everything theory was fescue rough that had been growing for two years. It’s not exactly like hitting through wire, but it does have a really nasty tendency to wrap itself around the hosel of a golf club and turn the face away from the target.  Anyone who has played in longish bluegrass rough in the US has probably had a similar experience.

What turned out to be the key to the championship was the ability to find airways, avoid the thick fescue and hit greens. In addition, putting the oddly breaking greens at Royal St. George’s was also important. There was definitely some luck involved which was clear when we saw balls that wobbled off line two or three or more times before finding or missing the hole.

One additional factor influenced Morikawa’s results.   Just before the British Open he changed three scoring clubs, a 7-iron, an 8-iron and a 9-iron.  He switched out his TaylorMade P730 blade models for the 7MC model that supposedly has more forgiveness. He made the change after having problem hitting off fescue fairways at the Scottish Open.

SANDWICH, ENGLAND – JULY 18: Collin Morikawa of the United States stands with caddie Jonathan Jakovac on the 15th hole during Day Four of The 149th Open at Royal St George’s Golf Club on July 18, 2021 in Sandwich, England. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
SANDWICH, ENGLAND – JULY 18: Collin Morikawa of the United States stands with caddie Jonathan Jakovac on the 15th hole during Day Four of The 149th Open at Royal St George’s Golf Club on July 18, 2021 in Sandwich, England. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /

“Having fescue fairways and the ball sitting a little different was huge to see last week,” he explained.  “I changed to the MCs strictly because I couldn’t find the center of the face  (of the P730s).”

The fact is, at this season’s final major, extraordinary length really didn’t have all that much to do with it.  It was all about hitting accurate shots and making putts.

Looking just at their stats, Spieth, perhaps, should have won, but he didn’t. Of course, he had, by his own admission, missed two critical putts in the third round that turned out to hurt his chances.

“I was 60 yards out in the fairway and made bogey on 17. Then I had a good look straight up the hill on 18,” Spieth explained about his Saturday finish.  He three-putted the 18th for bogey, missing one that was two feet or less.

And here’s a tip from Morikawa, which is easier to say than do.

“You can’t worry about the score. I had to worry about every shot,” he explained about his process. “We can’t control what’s going to happen, what has happened.”

Now, here are Spieth’s and Morikawa’s stats, and they are quite similar, which should not be a surprise since they finished first and second.  Maybe it will give you some ideas on what will really improve your score.

Spieth – Fairways Hit Percentage

Round 1: 64.29    Field Average: 56.23

Round 2: 64.29    Field Average: 59.49

Round 3: 64.29    Field Average: 62.43

Round 4: 71.43    Field Average: 62.89

Spieth — Greens in Regulation Percentage

Round 1: 77.78    Field Average: 64.1

Round 2: 83.33    Field Average: 67.74

Round 3: 66.67    Field Average: 65.66

Round 4: 66.67    Field Average: 69.55

Morikawa – Fairways Hit Percentage:

Round 1: 50.00    Field Average: 56.23

Round 2: 57.14    Field Average: 59.49

Round 3: 64.29    Field Average: 62.43

Round 4: 71.43    Field Average: 62.89

Morikawa – Greens in Regulation Percentage:

Round 1: 72.22    Field Average: 64.1

Round 2: 83.33    Field Average: 67.74

Round 3: 66.67    Field Average: 65.66

Round 4: 66.67    Field Average: 69.55

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