Jordan Spieth has complaint about Augusta which ‘you’re not supposed to talk about’ after day three at The Masters 

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Jordan Spieth is in the clubhouse after round three of The Masters after an improved performance but he’s been complaining about the course as well.

Spieth carded a fine third round of 69 to climb into the top 25 and sit at one under going into the final day.

That score is not going to be good enough to trouble the leaders – barring a miracle – but in the main, it was good to see Spieth show improved performance levels.

• READ MORE: Collin Morikawa makes bold claim about winning The Masters despite hitting ‘the worst putt in the tournament’ in round two

However, while Spieth played well and had a lot to be happy about, he was also pretty annoyed by some elements of the golf course.

Jordan Spieth unhappy with Augusta National golf course

With plenty to discuss after a much improved round for Spieth, the three-time major winner quickly turned his attention to the ‘mud balls’ he’d suffered with and in doing so, seemed to complain about the conditions at Augusta National.

“Yeah. Yeah. It was a bit better. My iron play killed me the last two days, and to be brutally honest with you, it was primarily mud balls,” Spieth started. “It’s just so frustrating because you can’t talk about them here. You’re not supposed to talk about them. Mud balls can affect this tournament significantly, especially when you get them a lot on 11 and 13. They’re just daggers on those two holes.

“They’ve done a better job — there’s like less than normal, but I still had them today on those holes, too. I had them yesterday on those holes. It’s something to pay attention to for sure for leader groups, because you just have to play so far away from trouble or lay up when you’d normally go for it, just random stuff, because it will affect it significantly. And if you’re on the wrong side of the hole you’re either in the water or you almost can’t make par depending on what hole it is.

I just felt like today was a bit better with the iron play for me, especially early, and I just stayed alive the first few holes and then finally got a couple good looks and made them.”

Adding further context to the whole situation, Spieth then explained his surprise at seeing mud on his ball on certain holes.

“Yeah. Yeah. I was actually really surprised on Tuesday how — but I’m expecting it a lot out here. Look, it’s mowed into the grain. The ball is digging in on every shot. A lot of times you have it on 75 percent of your drives. But it’s definitely getting better, but it’s like the key holes, when they pitch into — even on 8, it’ll pitch into, even though it’s a downhill shot.

“15 — I’m surprised, and on 11, but you’ll get them on 13 and 15 a lot, and it’s like, all right, well, here we go. You can always lay up, but it makes it — with these pins, that’s what I’m saying, the pins on the par-5s, if you have to lay up, they’re just a little bit harder today, the first three par-5s.”

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Why Jordan Spieth thinks certain players get more mud balls than others

The topic of mud balls in golf is always a contentious one but ultimately it is one of those things that professionals have to deal with.

Mud balls can cause the golf ball to deviate and affect flight and path while in the air and it’s no surprise to hear Spieth was frustrated.

However, he did do his best to explain just why it causes issues.

“I think it’s just kind of random. Obviously the lower you hit it, the less chance. But, every person is having to deal with it, but the fact that you’re not supposed to talk about it is a bit frustrating because it is a difference maker. It can be a difference maker in scores on some holes,” Spieth explained.

“Then today the wind is supposed to switch, turn around to what it was yesterday, so it could get really interesting around Amen Corner there because that’s a turn from off the right to in off the right, and that change is pretty significant on second shots on 11 and 12. That will be kind of exciting to see, but it’s not supposed to get up a ton. I think there will be — I think the lead will go further up. I don’t think it’s coming back based on the conditions today.”

Spieth has not won a major since The Open in 2017 and is going on three years now without a win on the PGA Tour.

Given it’s a Ryder Cup year, Spieth needs some big results and soon if he’s to make the squad.