Despite being the youngest player to have won the Masters and U.S. Open and the fact that he can tie Tiger Woods’ record for most Grand Slam victories before the age of 22 this Sunday, Jordan Spieth doesn’t like the comparisons being made between him and the Californian former world number one.
“I think the parallels being drawn between me and Tiger are unfair,” Spieth said yesterday. “I think that’s something people are looking for, but now is not the time because I don’t think you can compare at least until halfway through our careers.”
“When people ask me about those kinds of parallels, I try to avoid it, because it’s not the same thing. I’m very happy with where I am, but at the same time I’m aware that Tiger could go on and on and on and keep winning majors at an incredible percentage.”
Spieth, 21, led from start to finish in his first major Masters victory, matching Woods’ 72-hole stroke record. He won the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay without his best repertoire, and in his next tournament, last Sunday at the John Deere Classic, he birdied four of the five holes to go to a playoff in which he eventually prevailed.
The Texan was asked if his teammates might be intimidated by seeing his name on the scoreboard. “I don’t know,” he said, smiling. “I don’t think they see me as an intimidating person. I don’t hit the ball farther, which I think is one of the reasons Tiger was so intimidating, because he hit it farther and straighter.”
“I can’t imagine it because I’m not intimidated by anyone,” he added.
The moment of truth has arrived: the 144th British Open begins.
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