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VALERO TEXAS OPENMarch 29, 2015Jordan SpiethSAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Q. Well, it was a Texas shoot out, but I guess at the end Jordan Spieth, it looks like, didn't quite work out for you. How was it out there today, scrambling to try to catch up to Jimmy? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, it was challenging. In order to catch Jimmy the way he was playing, I saw firsthand the first two days playing in his group, I needed to get off to a good start. I did on 1. It was perfect, exactly what I wanted. Even through three or four holes, still 5, I'm still in this, once I got to even through 5. And from there, got around 6 through 12 I had some wedges in there, I would like to have been gone a couple under instead of a couple over. And Jimmy hit the shots needed when he was ahead. That he could hold me off, even though I charged him. Q. Absolutely. Let's look at this. JORDAN SPIETH: Didn't play this hole well. But it was a really straight putt. A little right and down to the left. Obviously I'm trying to get the speed on, but it found the bottle. Q. And then carried on 15. JORDAN SPIETH: He had a really tough putt. When I saw that go in had I thought, you know, stay calm, stay collected, we've got three birdie holes coming up and an opportunity if he makes bogey there and maybe one more I can really capitalize on it. Q. And 16, as well. Your game is in great shape. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I feel good. I found something on the range. It's tough practicing in windy conditions. I started to find it today. And it was really nice to finish and gain some momentum. Not quite enough, because Jimmy made those putts down the stretch, even when he was trying to hold on he needed to make them. Q. Given the shape of the game, Masters two weeks away? JORDAN SPIETH: I feel great. With my last start being a win, and this being a runner up. I'm going to play next week in Houston on a golf course that's really not well suited for me. I know that going in, so hopefully I can stay calm and collected and just try and pick some tight lines and just trim off the fat, which is what I'm trying to do next week to get ready for Augusta. Q. I you have to be happy with the way you finished with all those birdies coming down the stretch? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, it's great fun. Mica was keeping me in it the whole day, even when we were down. To grind those out, obviously the putt on 14 got me going, and I didn't play the hole well. And from there, it actually looked like I had a chance. And I didn't think that was going to be possible, being eight down with whatever it was, with whatever it was, six or seven to go. But you're just never out of it in this game. Jimmy shut that down pretty quickly, with his made putts. He's a deserving champion. I would have signed for 7‑under at the beginning of the week. And it wasn't good enough. Q. You told me at the beginning of the week that you were trying to find some things. Is it going to be the same thing next week in Houston? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I think trimming the fat is what we're looking at next week. I don't think it's a great golf course for me. It really favors a bomber. But if I can find some tight lines and really keep my stroke where it's at and maybe a little better iron play like I had on the back nine today I'll have a lot of momentum and confidence going into Augusta. Q. You had four birdies in the row, you gave him something to think about. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, you know obviously I would have liked to make that run a little earlier to make it a shoot out. But just didn't have that stuff around that middle stretch of the round, made a couple of costly mistakes, where I was trying to be a little too aggressive. You just can't do that out here. To come from four back was going to be really hard today. I had to play a flawless round, and without any of the bogeys we'd be going to a playoff. Certainly making enough putts and capitalizing on some opportunities, but I've got to watch those wayward shots. Q. What a great birdie you had at 14, too. You had over 45 feet. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, up and down the hill, not a putt you want for birdie, you'd like that maybe for eagle on that hole. It was actually a really straight putt, so I just got it over the ridge and it held its line. A lot of luck involved in that, but it's cool to see it go. Q. A couple of weeks ago Ryan Moore holed out on the 6th hole at Valspar, and you were quick to tell him what a great shot. Several times during the round you congratulated Jimmy in the course of competition. You're very complimentary to your fellow competitors out there. JORDAN SPIETH: Oh, I appreciate that. Yeah, by 17, after I saw 15 and 16 and then he makes that putt on 17. There's nothing I could do except shake my head and take my hat off, to try to make that putt to complete the hole. So, yeah, he had it today. He made those putts down the stretch when he needed them. Ultimately probably just needed‑‑ he thought pars and even a couple bogeys would do it, but it was cool to put a little bit of pressure on him and watch him perform like that. Former teammate of mine, and hopefully future teammate of mine. He deserved to win this week. Q. You Masters ready? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I think so, yeah. Need to trim the fat a little next week. Need to just fine tune some iron shots and a little bit with my driver. But all‑in‑all a lot of confidence out of this week and obviously off of Valspar. And one more week before we go there. Q. You have to feel happy for Jimmy. JORDAN SPIETH: Certainly not, no. I certainly wanted to win myself. So after the fact‑‑ it would be really cool to win the Byron Nelson for me, I'm assume this is a similar position for him. No, I was just standing with Michael right after when he was celebrating with Andy, and I said, Michael, this sucks. All‑in‑all nothing coming out of it makes me happy about not being able to win. But Jimmy deserved it. Jimmy is a great guy, a good friend of mine and a teammate. So all‑in‑all I am happy for him but not exactly pleased that he was the one to come out on top today. Q. No.1 in the world is the ultimate goal. You moved to No. 4. At the age of 21 are you pinching yourself as No. 4 in the world? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, that's cool. I didn't know if I'd move up at all or if I'd move up one spot or something. I knew if I won it I'd move up some. That's cool. Inching closer each week. I have an opportunity to move closer and closer, and just trying to take advantage of it. Not pinching myself, because there's still three guys ahead, just trying to climb up. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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