NASSAU, Bahamas – Jordan Spieth probably won’t watch much of the 2019 Presidents Cup.
Certainly not out of spite, but instead, to prevent tinges of pain for someone who has been an integral part of American professional team events since the 2013 Presidents Cup.
“I’m sure next week will be tough for me at home,” he said after improving on his Hero Challenge opening-round 76 with a 2-under-par 70. “I’ll try and honestly just get away while the tournament’s going on because you never want to miss those events when you’ve kind of been a part of them for a number of years.”
While the anticipated frustration has not hit him “at all” yet, Spieth is bullish on his 2020 prospects and feels refreshed.
“I feel things starting to get on the right track, it’s just timing stuff and again some visuals,” he said after having just 22 putts in round two. “But over the ball, I’m seeing a lot – it’s not really relating into necessarily the scores yesterday. I had like two bad drives. I drove the ball really well the whole day, but that kind of stuff I’ll fine tune and it will certainly get better as I hit more shots.”
As for the group text messages that have become a staple of modern team events, Spieth is not included.
“I’m probably out of a lot of good texts,” he said. “But it sucks because there was always good banter on those, and I always liked the lead-in and the playing practice rounds together, preparing to be a team representing your country. Yeah, it’s tough.”
A self-described architecture lover, Spieth says he’s also sad to not experience Presidents Cup host course Royal Melbourne.
“What a cool experience to play those golf courses. That’s got to be the top one or two places in the world, the Sandbelt in Melbourne, for golf. Honestly, for me just being an architecture lover, golf lover, that’s also a piece that I’ll be missing out on because I really wanted to go play that golf course, right?”
No offense to the last international venue, but Spieth is well aware of Royal Melbourne’s place near the top of most international course rankings.
“Korea was great, but if I could pick one of the two for the Presidents Cup, I would be like, man, that style of golf plays more to me. So hopefully I’ll certainly work my butt off to not miss one of these again.”
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