Jordan Spieth Opens Up About Ryder Cup Success, Hand Injury, and 2023 Season
“I don’t have to win to feel that I was successful in a way,” the three-time major champion said on “The Smylie Show.”
Brennan Asplen/Getty Images
Jordan Spieth joined Smylie Kaufman for a candid conversation on a recent episode of “The Smylie Show,” discussing how the Ryder Cup shaped his career, the lingering effects of a hand injury that altered his swing, and why he believes his best golf is still ahead of him.
The three-time major champion reflected on pivotal moments in his career, his resurgence after changing his grip and his outlook for the remainder of the PGA Tour season.
Ryder Cup Success Built Confidence
Looking back on his Ryder Cup experiences, Spieth said competing in one of golf’s biggest team events helped prepare him for the pressure of major championships.
He compared the intensity of Ryder Cup matches to playing the closing holes of a major, explaining that winning under those circumstances gave him confidence he could carry into individual competition.
Spieth also credited the event’s culture with helping players unlock another level in their careers. He pointed to Scottie Scheffler’s performance at the 2021 Ryder Cup and suggested the experience helped fuel his rise to World No. 1. He believes the same opportunity could await players like Cameron Young.
“The culture itself, I think — and you’d have to ask Scottie [Scheffler] straight up — but it happened to me in 2014,” Spieth said. “I had contended at the Masters and The Players in 2014, and I came up short. Then after the Ryder Cup, I felt like I found that little extra gear to be able to close stuff out.”
He added:
“I haven’t spoken in depth with him about the impact he thought that Ryder Cup made, but when he goes out and beats number one in the world, and then it leads to that next year, it’s like, man, I’ve lived this. I’ve seen this. I would be surprised if he didn’t feel that had something to do with it.”
Spieth also believes the event can have a similar impact on the next generation of stars.
“So that culture is gonna continue to make guys feel — you know, like a Cameron Young — I mean, he’s just one little thing away from going off. He’s about as talented as anybody that’s out there.”
How a Hand Injury Changed Spieth’s Swing
Spieth also discussed how a left hand injury he suffered in 2017 affected his swing for several seasons.
Rather than immediately making major swing changes, he spent years compensating for discomfort, which weakened his grip and made it more difficult to consistently control his ball flight.
“That was the catalyst for a lot of my down years… back when I finally committed to re-strengthening my grip, which wasn’t until 2021.”
Once he committed to a stronger grip in 2021, Spieth said his confidence quickly returned.
“I commit to gripping it stronger. I start to play really well at the beginning of 2021 with just a couple impact feels with a stronger grip and making it feel like I’m just using my body.”
For Spieth, regaining trust in his starting lines made all the difference.
“The only thing that had to click for me was just having confidence in my start lines… That level of freedom is massive versus having a two-way miss.”
Spieth’s Outlook for the Rest of the Season
Although Spieth hadn’t added another victory to his résumé, he said he believed his play had been strong enough to win and that a few breaks simply hadn’t gone his way.
Instead of viewing the season as disappointing, he’s focused on continuing to improve and positioning himself for a strong finish.
“I’m going to be preparing with that in mind to try and really look at this back half of this year as trying to improve on the front half and not kind of be stagnant, not be okay with the year, you know what I mean?”
Despite his competitive drive, Spieth said he measures success by more than wins alone.
“I wanna win every single week more than anybody else, I promise you, but I don’t have to win to feel that I was successful in a way.
