42 Friday Sports Friday, March 30, 2018 Lackluster Spieth says he’s been ‘lower’ heading into Masters Spieth has finished no higher than ninth

HOUSTON: Jordan Spieth insists he has “In 2016 I was hitting it horrendously going headed into prior Masters in “lower” form than into Augusta. I’m striking the ball a lot better the current crestfallen nature of his golf game. now. I just putted extremely well starting from The 24-year old Dallas native tees it up this the first round at Augusta in ‘16. “I came off week on Lone Star State home soil in the missed cuts here I think in ‘14 and ‘17 and was Houston Open not having tasted success since in the last group, second-to-last group come capturing last year’s Travelers Championship Sunday with a chance to win. in Connecticut and then collecting a third “In order for me to really feel like at my Major victory at The Open championship at highest level of confidence I need to be able to Royal Birkdale. compete next week, it doesn’t make a differ- Spieth did go close to victory in the open- ence what happens here.” Spieth will tee-up in ing two events of last year’s FedEx Play-Off his fifth Masters having sandwiched runner-up Series, losing a play-off to Dustin Johnson for finishes in 2014 and 2016 around his Augusta the Northern Trust victory in 2015 — the Open and finishing run- first of his three major ner up in the following titles. Dell Technologies. How- Given his downturn ever, in nine PGA Tour I’m striking in form, Spieth was events in 2018, Spieth the ball a lot asked if he felt more at has finished no higher ease in not being men- than ninth, missing two better now tioned as an Augusta halfway cuts along the favourite. “No, it way. doesn’t make a differ- He has dropped ence to me at all,” he fourth in the world rank- said. “I don’t care either ings, but said he’s felt worse about his chances way. We believe that if we go about our step- AUSTIN: File photo shows Jordan Spieth of the United States plays his shot from the third tee during the third heading into the first major of the year, which by-step goal and check all the boxes next round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas. —AFP tees off at Augusta National next week. “I’ve week, then we’ll have a chance to win.” gone into Augusta feeling lower than I am right Asked who he thought had the most pres- this second about my ability to compete, or the sure on his shoulders next week, Spieth sin- really feel any pressure on them, but I would a year that if he said he could win one tour- ability to get into contention and win and still gled out Rory McIlroy-who needs only a say Rory has the chance to win the career nament at the beginning of every year, he’ll been in the last group or last couple groups,” Masters title to complete his Grand Slam col- Grand Slam,” Spieth said. “That’s something probably pick Augusta, and therefore he puts he said. lection. “Actually, there’s nobody who should that he truly wants and so if there’s one week more emphasis on it.” —AFP

enjoy shooting 77, but it’s just hard to do as a Balance the key professional golfer. “I think that’s the case for a lot of people, come a little bit better. “I think I’m still working it’s so hard to enjoy golf when you’re shooting to extending 5-over. That’s something that I have to try to Wie healthy, my way out there to try to get my A-game back. I think my putting is improving a little bit. find a way, no matter what the result is. “But So hopefully this week everything will be career, says Park somehow somebody tell me how to, because I Feng hitting there.” Former child prodigy Wie, meanwhile, don’t know how to.” is brimming with confidence after her unlikely PHOENIX: With seven major titles and an She said it had been hard to process the victory in Singapore on March 4, when she Olympic gold medal in her trophy cabinet, for- fact that she was not getting the results she form in time for holed her winning putt from off the green at the mer world number one Park In-bee says there once had, and that it had made her question final hole. is really only one thing left for her to learn - her future in the game. “Over the years I had women’s major Good health has also helped her confidence, how to enjoy tournament golf. some bad times and tough times, and that’s after a few years of dealing with multiple in- Park finally appears healthy again after two when I wanted to not play golf,” she added. “But if I want to play golf for a long time CALIFORNIA: Michelle Wie is healthy and juries, something she has discussed with Tiger seasons blighted by hand and back injuries, from now on, I have to enjoy golf, whether I Shanshan Feng is running into form going into Woods. “Every time we see each other we list and rubber-stamped her return to form with a play good or bad.” Park has once again broken the first women’s major of the year, the ANA In- off all the things. How’s your ankle, how’s your five-stroke victory at the LPGA’s Bank of back into the world’s top 10 and, on a Mission spiration starting in California yesterday. Story- back, how’s your everything? And then it’s a Hope Founders Cup in Phoenix earlier this Hills course where thick rough and tricky lines abound at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, 20-minute conversation, and then we can move month. greens reward straight shooters and slick put- including the continuing rise of the Korean jug- on from there,” Wie said. It was the first win in over a year for the 29- ters, she could be primed to win her first major gernaut and a possible overdue major challenge “I think I have osteoarthritis in a couple year-old South Korean, who now has 19 LPGA since the 2015 British Open. by super-talented Jessica Korda. spots in my wrist. So my doctors and I, we’ve titles to her name and was inducted into the Park, who had to shut her season down Straight-hitting Feng assumed the world been taking these collagen injections which is tour’s Hall of Fame in 2016 after dominating early last year due to back problems, said she number one ranking in November, becoming the what helps to build the cartilage. “It just sucks the elite women’s circuit from 2013 to 2015. had also learned how to get the work/life bal- first player from China to occupy top spot. Her that it’s on both wrists, so I have to go in and Park told reporters ahead of the year’s first ance right. “I got married a little bit earlier record at Mission Hills is spotty-only two top- out of the doctor’s office quite often. major, the ANA Inspiration, she had come to than other girls on tour and I started travelling 10s in eight starts-but her chances are looking “When your back is hurting or neck is hurt- the realisation that if she wants to extend her with my husband,” said Park, who married her up this year, with a healthy growth of rough ing, you can’t really do much. It definitely helps golfing career she is going to have to find a swing coach Nam Ki-hyeob in 2014. likely to put a premium on accuracy. to not have your hands hurt when you putt.” way to avoid letting results dampen her enthu- “I sometimes took time away from golf, and “I don’t even know why I’ve never really Another to watch this week is defending cham- siasm for the game. I had to balance it out a little bit. “But every- played super well here,” Feng told reporters on pion Ryu So-yeon, who heads a formidable “I really wish I could enjoy tournament thing has worked really well, and I was able to the eve of the tournament on Wednesday. South Korean challenge that includes five of golf,” she said. “It’s so hard without the results. enjoy something that’s other than just tour “Hopefully this year I can make my record be- the world’s 10 top-ranked players. —Reuters No matter how much you tell yourself that now you can ... enjoy missing a cut, you can golf.” —Reuters