Jordan Spieth has the potential to do something remarkable at the PGA Championship this week.
Spieth can emulate Rory McIlroy by completing the career Grand Slam at Quail Hollow and elevate himself into all-time great conversations.
It’s been eight years since he last won a major championship, so the odds are stacked against him, but he’s in good form at the moment.
The 31-year-old should also have an advantage this week, which Bryson DeChambeau and many other top players will not.
Jordan Spieth picks the skill needed for success at Quail Hollow
Most professional golfers predominantly hit balls with a right-to-left (draw) or left-to-right (fade) shot shape.
Whereas Spieth is known for his world-class shot-shaping ability, as he can consistently produce both when necessary.
He explained in his pre-PGA Championship press conference that this will be important at Quail Hollow.
“I feel really good about some of the stuff I’ve been working on, some of the mechanics and traction of how I’m swinging the club, or getting more sound and more consistent. I’m getting more confident in that, feeling like I can play all the ball flights that I’d like to.
“You need that around this golf course because you’ve got to work it both ways, different heights. Obviously, the greens… although the course is soft now, the greens, I played yesterday in that rain, and even as it was raining, the greens were still firm, and they had the SubAir going. So you’re just going to have to be a shot maker around here.
“I feel like that part of my game has been improving as the year has gone on. Yeah, this is a place I’ve… you can’t fake it. There are a number of great golf courses that we play, and this is one of them. You’ll get guys shooting 5-, 6-, 7-under, and you’ll get guys shooting 5-, 6-, 7-over.
“There’s no faking it. The rough is up a little more than what we normally see when we come here during the season. A little more premium on the fairways. Trying to find greens in regulation will be my goal.”
Sir Nick Faldo criticised Bryson DeChambeau’s shot-shaping ability
DeChambeau is one of the best players in the world, and his distance gives him a major advantage over most of his competitors.
But his inability to hit fades is an obvious weakness, which let him down in the final round at The Masters.
Three-time Masters winner Sir Nick Faldo heavily criticised DeChambeau for this on Sunday at Augusta National: “There’s no control in this. You have to have soft shots.
“You have to have a way to cut it, fade it, work it. He just – sorry that is just full bore. You have to have touch.”
Butch Harmon then compared DeChambeau with Tiger Woods, who had every shot in his locker in his prime.
“That is the thing that made Tiger Woods so good, when he learnt how to do all that,” he added. “He is going at it too hard. He doesn’t need to. He hits the ball hard enough.”
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