Jordan Spieth was jovial after his final round at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, making light of Scottie Scheffler’s 11-shot lead with a question to Amanda Balionis.
Amanda Balionis couldn’t contain her humour as Jordan Spieth playfully questioned her at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Spieth took fourth place in the event with an impressive 19-under-par aggregate, including an outstanding nine-under-par final round – his best-ever result on the PGA Tour.
The performance sets him in a prime position ahead of the PGA Championship, where his goal is to replicate Rory McIlroy’s achievement of securing the coveted career Grand Slam. Although Scottie Scheffler secured the win with a notable 31-under-par, Spieth added a dash of humor to the conversation when chatting with Balionis. He lightheartedly asked: “We’ll see if it holds up, do you think it’ll hold up?” That was in reference to his own clubhouse lead at the time.
The CBS reporter chuckled before responding: “I mean, it’s holding up for now! So maybe we’ll just go with that.” Having previously secured three major championships and topped the World No.1 rankings, Spieth has experienced periods of inconsistency in recent years. Since winning the Masters and US Open in 2015, followed by The Open Championship in 2017, he has yet to claim another major title.
However, on the eve of the PGA Championship – the last major lacking in his trophy collection – Spieth’s resurgence in form indicates he is well-timed for success. After sharing earlier in the year that he felt “on track” following improvements on the green, his recent finish at the weekend is sure to boost his confidence even more.
He said earlier this year: “Right now, I’m on the right track back. I’m progressing, and I know that I’m on the right track. I’m not searching for answers. “That’s a big difference. That just means it’ll come. The problem is I’ve been so far off for so many years… so hopefully it just continues to get better. “I feel like I’m in a… I have way more knowledge about what I do well and why I did it well and how to get back to doing that than I did back then. I feel like I can do stuff like this every week.”
With his sights set on completing the career Grand Slam at the PGA Championship, Spieth was asked by Balionis how McIlroy’s recent Masters victory serves as an inspiration. McIlroy’s triumph positioned him as the sixth-ever Grand Slam winner, a feat Spieth is poised to pursue. On his peer’s achievement, Spieth said: “Not only did he complete it, but the time it took to complete it. It was obviously a very challenging week for him, it was harder than maybe every trying to win a Masters.
“To be that far from his most recent major as well, and then to go do it, I mean it was very inspiring. Quail Hollow, it’s a Bermuda golf course, which I love – I grew up on Bermuda – you gotta play really fast greens. “My ball striking is coming around at a really nice time, I felt like I’ve been progressing each week since the (wrist) surgery. So hopefully I can have a good week next week and maybe go to the PGA and keep up with this guy (Scheffler), but that’s been hard to do.”
Despite not clinching victory at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Spieth exhibited nothing but admiration for Scheffler’s stellar play. Reflecting on the World No.1, he said: “What he’s doing is very inspiring, what he’s been doing is inspiring given it wasn’t that long ago I was definitely better than him, and now I’m definitely not right now and I hate admitting that about anybody.
“But I just watched it, those first two rounds, and I’m like, ‘I gotta get better’. It’s very inspiring. Obviously it’s at this event… but it could be anywhere. I’m not like jealous of him winning this event over any other, I’m jealous of anyone that wins any week. I wanna be the person there (who wins), and that’s my drive. “When he does it, it’s nice because one, I just played with him these two rounds, but I’m also playing with him at home. I’ve got more of a gage on exactly where I need to be when I’m playing a lot of golf with him. He’s certainly earned this one.
“I don’t see it going anywhere but just fine for him going down the stretch, and I’m gonna be super pumped that – when Scottie wins, I’m happy, it doesn’t matter where it is. If I’m not gonna win, I like it when he wins.”