Troon, Scotland: Gary Player says Jordan Spieth could turn out to be “the best player the world has ever known” if he only had half an hour with the American to iron out an “obvious” flaw with his swing.
The three-time Open champion, 80, acknowledged that Spieth was “a machine” with his putter, but said that would not be enough at Royal Troon this week if the American could not keep his ball on the fairways. “He’s got a bad fault in his swing and I am shocked that his coach can’t see it,” Player said. “He stands there every day and they can’t see what he is doing.”
The South African declined to say what exactly he had detected in Spieth’s swing that needed addressing, but many pundits have commented on the American’s ‘chicken wing’; a kink in his left arm. Former professional turned broadcaster Johnny Miller recently speculated – in the wake of Spieth’s meltdown at the Masters when he allowed Sheffield’s Danny Willett to seize what proved to be a decisive lead – that the bend in Spieth’s left arm had become more pronounced at impact and after impact, adding that he has “a tendency with that bent left elbow to come down with the face open”. Player, speaking from Royal Troon on a patrons day for sponsors Mercedes, said he would love to spend time one-to-one with Spieth.
“If I could spend half an hour with Spieth, he might turn out to be the best player the world has ever known,” he said. “Because he is a machine with putting. His short game is a machine. Can you imagine? A man goes into a tournament saying ‘I don’t know where the ball is going. I am frustrated. I am here with my B game’ and wins.
“You take [this year’s] Masters. It is so fascinating. Rory McIlroy played magnificently. What a great swing. Jason Day – what a great swing. Adam Scott – what a great swing. “They all played well. Jordan -Spieth says ‘I’ve come here with my B game’ and he beats them. They played phenomenally. He played C––. But he putted like Houdini. He comes to the 12th hole [in the final round], and gets a seven and still beats them.”
Player declined to pick a winner this week, saying there were “100 that can win, at least”. But he did say that, barring a few notable exceptions – Todd Hamilton winning the last time the Open was played at Troon in 2004 being a case in point – the cream generally rises to the top at “the best tournament in the world”.
“Generally speaking, if you go through history, and look at the Open champions – man, they have really been champions. But there are exceptions. “If you think, it’s 145 years old – sure you are going to have five or 10. A guy like Arthur Havers won it. He was an unknown, so to speak, and others have done it. But, generally speaking, they have produced such champions.
“Why? You have got to use instinct. Instinct is part of the game, which doesn’t apply to the extent in other majors that it does here.”
