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WGC CADILLAC MATCH PLAYApril 30, 2015Jordan SpiethSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CHRIS REIMER: Welcome to Jordan Spieth here, 2 & 0 heading into the third round. Talk about what you had going today. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I got into a rhythm there once the one on 6 went in. I was leaving them short. The one on 5 was a pretty easy putt. And I was leaving them short yesterday on a few of them, and then I did there and I just told myself, just trust a three‑footer coming back. These greens are slower than what we're used to, but they feel fast, because they're firm, and when you walk on them they feel fast. But they don't putt that way. I caught a couple of lips, found some good lines, and just got ten straight 1‑putts, and they were about mid range, that's about as good as I've ever putted. I'd like to keep that going. Q. Have you thought this through, looked at the possibilities? JORDAN SPIETH: Win or go home. Yeah, I know if Mikko comes back, there's a chance for a playoff. But all in all for me, it's win or go home. I expect to play Lee, who is coming off of a win and playing well. It's going to be a tough match. It's going to be hard to keep making this many putts and this many birdies. And I feel like I'm truly going to need to beat him. Q. It sounds to me like in this format you're being more aggressive. Can you talk about how you changed your approach? JORDAN SPIETH: On the greens? Q. Just to play this format, just to play match play? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I've played a little more aggressive. To be honest, yeah, yesterday I was trying to be aggressive on a couple of shots, I just didn't have my swing there and it bailed out or whatever. But I've been trying to fire at pins. Now that the greens are firming up even more, there are some pins that aren't really gettable. And there were a couple of locations today I went ahead and played a little shorter just to make sure I was below the hole, to not be too aggressive on it. It paid off because my putter was so hot. I was able to‑‑ I was able to hit aggressive shots at a little more conservative lines, honestly, because I felt so comfortable putting. I didn't feel like I needed to force anything. But all in all, I have an aggressive nature of playing golf and, if anything, you almost would be more aggressive here. But obviously it depends on how the hole and the match is going. Q. I'm sure you've been asked this a hundred times in the last three weeks, I'll make it 101. How much has your life changed or not changed in the past three weeks? JORDAN SPIETH: A little bit here and there as far as getting noticed and being out in public. But all in all I feel the same when I'm getting ready to play. When I was getting ready to play this tournament. Hilton Head was a very different feeling, because I didn't really prepare for it. Here with a week off at home and then coming out and practice round and Pro Am and it's felt very normal, I feel really good around the greens right now. And I'm driving the ball better than I even drove it at Augusta right now, which is nice. I'm putting myself in really good positions. So to answer your question, it hasn't changed much outside of the out in public off the course. Q. Can you talk about an example of the public this week? JORDAN SPIETH:  I was with dinner with Jay a couple of nights ago, a couple girls came up to the table and asked if‑‑ random, maybe nongolf fans, and came up and said that it's their boyfriend's birthday and would you come over and wish him a happy birthday or whatever. And then at the end of the‑‑ I was just happy she didn't ask me to sing (laughter). At the end of dinner I walked over and took a picture with some people and whatever. But, yeah, just a random spot for dinner here and there. It happened in New York, too. I was more noticed. We have fun with it. Q. During any of those ten 1‑putt greens you finished with, did Matt Every either look at you, wink at you or cuss at you or otherwise say anything notable? JORDAN SPIETH: Matt, after the one on No. 8, which was to tie the hole, he said‑‑ I was walking off, he said, when are you going to stop doing that or something like that. It was three in a row at the time. And then after I made the par‑putt on 14, I could see he was upset. Before that I couldn't. But after that one‑‑ and if I were in his position, I would have been very upset. Because that was bogus and I did not deserve to tie that hole (laughter). But I've had it done to me before. It's not fun. He was‑‑ I could tell frustrated at that point, because it could have gone down to 2 down with‑‑ 2 down with 4 to play. And you can come back from that pretty easily. 3‑down with four to play, quite a bit harder. Q. What did he say when you finished the round? JORDAN SPIETH: He said something like, dude, that was really, really impressive. Good work or something like that. Q. When greens are slower, does someone who hits putts aggressively usually, is it easier to make that adjustment? JORDAN SPIETH: I think so, yeah, I was actually talking with my dad last night and he's not here, he can't see any of the putts other than watching coverage, which he's working, so he really doesn't watch much of the coverage, but he made a point like‑‑ he thought that I have struggled in the past when I go from faster greens to slower greens the next week or within two weeks making the adjustment and trusting it. And he said it just seemed like this week it was‑‑ with the putts that I did make yesterday, he said it seems like if I had noticed anything I had noticed that, which was interesting. Today I had a lot of extra time, because we were pushed back on our tee times, rounds going extra holes. I spent the entire time on the putting green. Maybe it got a little more work done in adjusting. And that showed. Q. Attention is paid to big names who have lost twice and are eliminated. You're undefeated, Rory is, Bubba is, Rickie is. JORDAN SPIETH: Must be nice. Q. Sorry about that. Seems it could have some pretty big names, fan favorites go into Saturday. I know you want to look ahead, what will the weekend be like? JORDAN SPIETH: To be honest, I don't even think there's any small names in this tournament. That's the whole point of this tournament. Yeah, I think it could be very exciting. I'd like to be part of it. I've got to work hard to do so. I watched Rickie finish up, and for him to go to 18 there and birdie that twice and work his way into Saturday is clutch. I heard he made some lengthy putts coming down the stretch, too. Q. 18 feet on 15, 18 feet on 16, 31 feet on 17? JORDAN SPIETH: Okay, very lengthy putts. Well, they probably went for par. Q. (Inaudible). JORDAN SPIETH: Okay. Then it was bogus (laughter). For him to close out like that is very clutch. And you expect Rory to be playing well, obviously. And, yeah, it would be really, really exciting. It would be exciting. I don't know if‑‑ I haven't looked much at the bracket and I haven't paid much attention to it other than what's going on in our little circle. But I'd like to be a part of that action. Q. Where were you, you were on‑‑ JORDAN SPIETH: We weren't sure if there was another match we were going to wait on. So I went and sat down with Troy, my chiro, who also works with Rickie, and we were sitting down watching them come up 18 and play 18. They didn't, but the group behind them went extra. It was crazy going off late today. Q. Keeping on putting, I have this unproven belief, that good putters are also free throw shooters, are you a good free throw shooter? JORDAN SPIETH: I don't know. Ask Jay. What do you think, Jay? I would say that was arguably my only strength in basketball, three point and free throw. That's all I had. Q. There's at least seven meaningless matches tomorrow, contribute absolutely nothing to the groups. Going forward, can you see a pro or con for those type matches to have to show up and play? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I don't really‑‑ according to the Rules of Golf, you can show up and concede the match. I think that you should be able to do anything you want inside the rules. In Rickie's case, I would play because I at least want to see the golf course, see how it's changing and putt to some of the locations. If you're talking about matches that are guys that are 0 & 2, you still have the opportunity to come play and compete against somebody. And for me I'd want to do that. For the event, as a whole, I don't know. I don't know if there's a pro or a con. I think the format allows for a bigger interest‑‑ I think the format is great for viewers and fans so that you can see if, for instance, you know, Rory lost the first day, you could see more matches that he could play and he could work his way back in, anybody can. And I think that that's cool. But the matches that are already 0 & 2 guys, I don't think any of them are going to necessarily prepare the way they normally would. But I think it's still worth coming out and trying to beat somebody. Q. What do you think it's going to be like playing Westwood tomorrow, a guy twice your age? A guy I'm sure you watched as a very young golfer coming up? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I've watched Lee, I really good player on really good golf courses. Has a good track record in match play. I'm excited, yeah. I've played some golf with Lee before. We've been paired together. I admire his game. I admire who he is. He's been a great guy to me, and it should be a battle tomorrow. So if we didn't want a challenge, then why would we be here? It's been win or go home since day one. And that's still the way it's going to be. And I think he's come back from 3‑down quickly in this match. So it shows he has some momentum, as well. CHRIS REIMER: Thank you, Jordan, good luck tomorrow. JORDAN SPIETH: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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