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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2020

Jordan Spieth

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

JORDAN SPIETH: I'm assuming this has to do with the statement that was made is what he was talking about.

Q. It kind of makes golf seem a little bit insignificant he said.
JORDAN SPIETH: In the grand scheme of things, golf is insignificant whether there's a virus going around or really in general. So, yeah, I mean at this point I think as players we just trust the guys who are making the calls and doing the research and pretty much what Graeme said.

Q. Given the NBA and everybody making those decisions last night, was there any thoughts that you'd even play today?
JORDAN SPIETH: No, I didn't.

Q. (No Microphone.)
JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, sure, I was -- yeah, we got a text from the TOUR saying plan on playing round one as scheduled, which was obviously -- that's not sent every Thursday. Yeah, it's certainly going to be interesting. Us three were saying it's going to be actually -- I think kind of fun because we can kind of mess around like thank you, to wave to the crowd after a birdie even though there's nobody there. So we could -- I mean we could have fun with an interesting situation, I guess, but obviously not trying to downplay the significance of it. It will just be something that we never experienced before out on TOUR.

I guess there's been a couple rounds ever that were like that. We played in Japan one round and I think in DC, Congressional that one time. So it will be unusual, especially at this tournament withdraws such a fantastic crowd. It's a bit of a shame here because of the setup and the closing holes and how great this tournament is, but obviously health trumps.

Q. With so much uncertainty going around today, what was the vibe of the round like?
JORDAN SPIETH: It was fine. Yeah, nothing was out of the ordinary whatsoever. There was a couple times guys were saying we're going to miss you guys this weekend during the middle of the round. We thought that originally we thought that was kind of rude, like meaning we're not going to be here this weekend and then I realized that I was told that they said there's no spectators the rest of the week, and I was like, all right, we'll let that guy off. And I was a couple over at the time, and I was like, man, we got some golf left, but yeah.

Q. Do you feel like you guys should be playing? Not necessarily this week but going forward?
JORDAN SPIETH: It's different than other sports, right, there's no contact, like even in basketball you're right next to each other obviously, and so I think it's a little bit different. You have a much wider space that you're playing in.

Q. Travel concerns?
JORDAN SPIETH: I just don't know enough about -- obviously I know it's very contagious and if you have preexisting conditions or you're older the chances of it being fatal are higher. And it's not as much -- it's more like a bad flu to others is my knowledge on it. And it's obviously very, very contagious. But in golf if you don't have spectators, I mean, you would have to have somebody within the TOUR that has it or it would be unlikely.

Q. (No Microphone.)
JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, certainly with the travel, yeah.

Q. Augusta hasn't said their position yet. But you would assume there might be fans at the Masters in four weeks' time. How surreal would that be and to be unable to draw from the crowd at that tournament how would you like it?
JORDAN SPIETH: It would be very unusual without hearing the roars echoing through the valley. You can feed off a crowd anywhere, and you can also -- it can also a add a bit of pressure, as well, in certain situations. So, yeah, I don't think anybody -- this isn't ideal for anyone, but I think if you had polled the players, we would rather have the Masters go on without spectators than not go on at all. So I think you would probably get a unanimous vote on that one. But it will be -- it's a shame, but it is what it is right now.

Q. Even with all the differences in the sport, do you think golf risks getting a kind of a bad look by continuing on in the midst of so many other sports shutting down?
JORDAN SPIETH: I'm not sure. I don't feel that way. Like I was just asked, I don't feel that way about the tournaments going on. Personally. But do I know how the rap will be? I don't know. Again, if you can, you can justify it with the lack of physical contact and the space that you have around, but obviously with the travel, that being a difference maker. So I don't think so. I think people are much more -- paying much more attention to March Madness and the NBA, but when it comes Masters time, that's probably a different story and that's when you'll probably have a good idea on what the public thinks.

Q. You have a relationship with a lot of guys in the NBA. Have you spoken to them at all about suspending their season?
JORDAN SPIETH: I have not. I saw a couple of the posts while eating breakfast today watching ESPN, but that was it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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