‘Got Worse and Worse’: Jordan Spieth Recalls Frustrating Struggles as 19-Month Trophy Drought Continues

Jordan Spieth is still hunting his first Stateside victory in 19 months. The title drought, though, is strangely reminiscent of Spieth’s winless four years between his third Major at the 2017 Open Championship and his 12th PGA Tour victory at the 2021 Valero Texas Open. Chatting with Mark Immelman, the three-time Major champion recounted what went wrong and how he bounced back.

Perhaps something was wrong with his swing? The thought crossed Spieth’s mind as well. He was confident that his form would flare up quickly. But it didn’t pan out the way he thought it would. Instead, the University of Texas product had to dig deep into its roots. 

Jordan Spieth opened up on his massive plummet

After the 2018 Masters, Spieth’s form took a turn for the worse, as he went on to miss the cut at the U.S. Open a few months later. In that stretch of seven tournaments, the Dallas native’s best show was a tied 21st-place finish. “I think during 2018, I finished 31st in the FedEx, I was playing alright to start the season, and then but it just kind of got worse and worse,” admits the 30-year-old.

The sudden dip in form was frustrating. Spieth recounts, “I was putting really poorly. I think I finished like two hundred and putting in 2018.” The puzzling slump “led to the kind of mental struggles that come with it.” Spieth was getting desperate but hoped 2019 would be his time.

However, the break at the tail end of 2018 didn’t put an end to the misery. After missing the cut at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in November, Spieth once again failed to make the cut at the 2019 Sony Open in January. It took the 30-year-old ten tournaments, six months to break into the top ten, and 20 months to finally end his title drought. Spieth admits, “Things got worse until January of 2021.”

To his credit, Jordan Spieth, instead of taking a knee-jerk step, was patient. A lot of introspection was poured in to come out on the other side of the tunnel. 

How Spieth got back to the winner’s circle

Spieth admits COVID “actually kind of bought… some struggle time in a weird way.” But the 2017 Open Champion “didn’t fix things or plot a chargeback.” Rather, doubling down on his existing prowess, “I probably worked harder than any time when I wasn’t playing well. Because it was so frustrating,” Spieth revealed. 

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For the Dallas native, it became an odyssey of self-discovery as well, as he thoughtfully added, “I just wanted to get to the bottom of things and be who I know I am.” After the TPC San Antonio triumph, the 30-year-old came close to increasing his Major tally twice, first at the Masters, where he settled for a third-place finish, and then at the Open Championship, where Collin Morikawa clinched a two-shot victory over Spieth.

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