St Andrews, UK: Jordan Spieth blamed “mental mistakes” at the eighth, 17th and 18th for wrecking his dreams of winning three majors in a row in the British Open at St Andrews on Monday.
Those rare moments of weakness from the usually steely 21-year-old Texan cost him three strokes and the chance of either winning the tournament outright, or at least getting into a playoff eventually won by fellow American Zach Johnson.
“Today was a really tough day,” he said.
“Just made a mental mistake on number eight and it seemed to have cost me as well as on 18.”
Spieth had started the day just one shot off the leading trio and in ideal position to pull off the greatest feat in golfing since 1953 when Ben Hogan won the Masters, and US and British Opens. Even Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods failed, in their primes to do that - each falling at The Open stage.
He bagged his share of birdies and was well in the hunt until a double bogey at the par three eighth looked to have punctured his hopes.
But he battled back again and looked set for at least a play-off spot until a wayward approach to the notorious 17th Road Hole cost him a shot and then hit a poor tee shot at the last and failed to get the birdie he needed.
“I did not expect three guys to get to 15-under today in those conditions. I did not see that happening. That was some phenomenal golf by everyone,” said the golfer.
But there were no regrets he said and it was just a case of re-focussing himself for the year’s final major – the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin next month.
“I don’t know how many guys have done three majors in a year,” he said. “I’m sure there’s only been a few. I know Tiger has done it, and I’m sure Jack has.
“So that would be the next goal as far as the history goes. Sights set on the PGA Championship, and from here I’ve got a couple weeks off now, and I’m going to go home and reflect.
“It won’t hurt too bad. It’s not like I really lost it on the last hole, and 17 was brutally challenging. I just didn’t hit a great putt there, and I just picked the wrong wedge out of the bag on 18.
“I have made a lot of the right decisions down the stretch and certainly closed plenty of tournaments out, and this just wasn’t one of those.AFP
