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HP BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIPMay 29, 2011Jordan SpiethIRVING, TEXAS Q. Jordan, I know you're going to college but you're talkin' like a pro. You come down from this trailer with a 77 in golf, I'm surprised you want to talk to me. We have to know what your experience was like the second time around. JORDAN SPIETH: Oh, I wish I could tell you, once it sinks in. Right now -- I finished bogey, double bogey, I am not -- I didn't look at the positives. I think I might have finished top-30 again. But I hung in there until the last four holes, and to be honest it wasn't the nerves like everyone probably thought it was. I just -- I hit three fairways today and there is no way you can shoot under par hitting three fairways on this course. Q. We know already that you've got plenty of nerves to be out here on the PGA TOUR, what it is we've been talking about with this golf course and this wind, it's like taking body shots in the wind. You can only hit the body so many times and you feel like you're going down. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, somehow I was only 1-over through 14 holes today, for the day. Shoot, I don't know how I was doing that. I was everywhere on this course. I probably played a shot left-handed, I hit probably 30 trees out there, but, you know, it just wasn't there, just wasn't there with the driver. Had I hit some fairways today, I think I could have shot a couple under and had a good shot. Q. Two years in a row putting yourself into a position on a Sunday to do some damage and maybe win a PGA TOUR tournament, what does that -- how does that change your goals going into college? I mean, are you thinking maybe at some point soon, I can win the tournament? JORDAN SPIETH: You know, no. I was humbled by this last -- by this back nine. I'm focused on college now. Had I won today, who knows, but I'm focused now on the next step. This will sink in, and I'm sure it will sink in, of course, in a positive way, but it stings right now, it really does. Q. And it's supposed to. That's what makes a competitive golfer. You're going to have a great career, brother, we'll see you out here in a couple years. Go ahead and go play for Texas for a while. JORDAN SPIETH: Okay. Q. (No microphone.) JORDAN SPIETH: A lot more down than up. I bogeyed the first hole and told Kramer, that's the only bogey we can afford today if we're going to have a chance. I knew I would make a few birdies but, you know, it's hard right now to take it. It's hard to take it right now finishing 6-over on my last four holes, that's just -- it wasn't the nerves, I just didn't hit good shots. Just plain didn't hit good shots. I'm sure when it sinks in, it will be positive. I had an awesome time this week, just like I always do. Everyone here has been so great. The cause is obviously even more important than the tournament itself, but, you know, as far as from a golf standpoint that's all that's in my head right now and it stings. Q. (No microphone.) JORDAN SPIETH: I don't think I surprised myself having a chance again, I know the course really well and prepared and I was ready to go. I slept well last night, I was ready to go today. You know, if I had made my 3-footer on 8 instead of 3-putting, shoot, I would have been a couple shots out of the lead on the back nine. I just -- I don't know what happened with the driver and the 3-wood today. Just uncharacteristic and unfortunate that it happened today. Everyone has their off days. Normally they come after high career days, but unfortunately mine today instead of tomorrow. Q. (No microphone.) JORDAN SPIETH: No, no, it gets about this windy one or two times a week, but when I was coming here before the event it wasn't windy at all, it was cool, nice, perfect weather. So I was not used to that, for sure. No one here is used to these conditions, they don't happen very often. Q. (No microphone.) JORDAN SPIETH: Just being invited back was phenomenal and I don't know in the future what's going to happen because the National Championship is the next few days so I don't know if I'll be back the next couple of years but anytime I can come here in my hometown and play an event, the amount of support out here was really cool. Q. (No microphone.) JORDAN SPIETH: I think having gone through this, obviously everything else is a step down besides a Major Championship. I think college golf -- I don't know what to expect from college golf but I know it's going to be fun. Like I said, I don't know what to expect. Q. You didn't have a stand-in for graduation? JORDAN SPIETH: No, I didn't. Q. Was that emotional for you at all, missing that? JORDAN SPIETH: Not exactly because I was so into what was going on here. Everything was running through my head this week. Obviously looking back I'll be disappointed that I missed out, but at the same time I had a job to do here. I had to have fun and get the job done here. I had fun but I didn't get the job done, only missed it by 10 or so shots! (Laughter.) Q. Does a week like this help you going into amateur events? JORDAN SPIETH: For sure. I think it will be hard for me to feel nerves, especially soon, having gone through this. That's my goal. I think this week helped and, you know, I really wish I could have finished better for the crowd. Hitting it in the water and 3-putt on 17, that wasn't how we drew it out, but back to your question, I think -- I'm excited for what's to come. Q. Talk about the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. JORDAN SPIETH: It's unbelievable how great they are. They will take a bullet for us, it's ridiculous. I know most of them, especially after these past two years and I know them personally and see them around town sometimes. What these guys do is awesome and everyone here appreciates it. Q. What does it feel like to have your Jesuit classmates out here watching and looking to you perhaps as a role model? JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, you know, it's awesome to see them out here especially after graduation last night. But just like last year, I don't know if I'm the right role model for them, maybe golfwise right now but they're -- they just add to the support and I see 'em every day and I know leading up to this event they're encouraging me off the course so it definitely helps. Q. You've had an unforgettable week. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I have, I was able to get into contention, and had a chance on the back nine. It stings a little right now, but for the overall experience I'm happy and I know when it sinks in, it will be positive and just really cool. Q. You walk off the 18th green and there was Byron Nelson's widow, Peggy, greeting you as you finish up his championship on the weekend you graduate from high school. That's pretty special. JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, it is. I've gotten to know her over the last year, and it's pretty special how inspirational she is, telling everyone about Byron and how much he has done for the game of golf. It helps put it into perspective what we're doing out here and how there is definitely a greater cause. You know, I'm just trying to get rid of the sting right now to be honest with you. Q. How disappointing was this? JORDAN SPIETH: Very. You just said I shot 77, I didn't know -- obviously I signed the card but that's really high. I was only 1-over with four holes to go for the day. It really wasn't the nerves, I just wasn't driving well, I hit three fairways today. You hit three in this win out here there's not much you can do. I'm going to head back this week before U.S. Open qualifier and work on the driver. Q. You expect more of yourself? JORDAN SPIETH: Oh, I just -- you know, no one really expected me to give it a shot today, I expected myself to win today or at least give it a good chance. I was able to fight back other bogeys and make some other birdies and I'm happy with the way that happened and it's just unfortunate that I was so close, a lot of shots could have gone either way. Q. Congratulations on a great week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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