There are some who have PGA Championship glory. Jack Nicklaus. Tiger Woods. Ben Hogan. Byron Nelson. Walter Hagen. Sam Snead. Gene Sarazen
Then there are those who have PGA Championship envy, like Jordan Spieth. Winning the PGA would give him what Rory McIlroy just got last year, that, of course, being the career Grand Slam. It is a weight on him every time he reaches the second week of May.
Just because a player and his fan base wish for something doesn’t mean it will happen. If anyone ever deserved a Grand Slam, it was Arnold Palmer, but it would never be his. Palmer won The Masters, the U.S. Open, and the British but never the PGA. Same fate for Tom Watson.
Is that perhaps the reason Spieth chose to do a pre-tournament PGA Championship interview on Monday when there are likely to be fewer members of the media in attendance? Fewer people to ask him about it. Fewer questions to add to the pressure. Probably. At least it makes sense, although Jordan is wonderful with the media. He doesn't duck questions.
In fact, the year he won the Masters and then the U.S. Open and had a chance at the British Open and the PGA, he had more media attention than he ever dreamed possible or wanted. Now, he faces the PGA and the annual barrage of questions.
“I wish I got a little bit more out of the last couple weeks, but I kind of know what got off now and how to fix it, and I'm spending the next few days working on that,” he answered when asked about his game coming into PGA week. “I feel like 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.”
Then instead of how’s-your-game-ish, the questions became Grand Slam-ish: Did the Grand Slam chance affect his schedule coming into the tournament? Does he allow himself to think about it? Will it be a relief to win it – the questioner assuming he would at some point.
Spieth has endured the pressure of the Grand Slam nearly as many years as Rory McIlroy did, although his supercharged years were in 2015 and 2017. Yes, McIlroy carried what Snoopy always called the burden of great potential for nearly 15 years before snagging that green jacket.
But Spieth has also carried the weight of the PGA. He’s just been so far off the radar that most people tend to forget until tournament week. Meanwhile, McIlroy's been winning tournaments at a fantastic clip.
“As far as the career Grand Slam, this tournament's always highlighted,” Spieth admitted. “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, you know.”
So, to think it hasn’t been as hard on Spieth as it was on McIlroy is ridiculous. Even though he said that it was probably harder on McIlroy than it has been on him, it doesn’t make it true.
The reason he said that is probably because in 2011, McIlroy had the lead at The Masters in the final round on the 10th tee, hit a spectacularly bad shot left, and went on to post a final-nine 43.
Instead, Spieth had realistic chances at the British Open in 2015 when Zach Johnson nosed him out. He also had a great shot at the PGA that same season, but Jason Day won. What that means is Spieth actually had a chance at the single-season Grand Slam, but for a couple of loose shots in 2015. That’s a heavy burden. But it’s in the past.
“I went on a run of feeling like I was contending or having a good chance of contending at every major for a number of years, and then it was periodic, and I feel like I'm close to being able to go back to doing that again,” he said.
The big challenge this week, he thinks, is hitting to the right spots on the greens, because Aronimink Golf Club greens have more than ample slopes. The world knows what a genius Spieth is with the putter and wedge.
At least Spieth admits he is looking for that magic again, enough magic to get him from tee to occasional fairway to someplace near the green where he really shines. Perhaps breaking golf down to smaller tasks, like hitting fairways, hitting to the right spots on greens, makes for a successful outcome on Sunday evening. It may be why Scottie Scheffler says things like he concentrates on being where his feet are.
“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,” he said. “I just want to give myself a chance.”
Last year, Spieth missed the cut at Quail Hollow, and in 2024, he was 43rd at Valhalla.
Add us as a preferred source on Google