PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Given where he was a week ago, Jordan Spieth was cautiously upbeat following his final preparations for this week’s PGA Championship.
Spieth’s status for the year’s second major had been in doubt since he withdrew from last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson with a left wrist injury. But he said Wednesday, following a nine-hole practice round, that he was pleased with the injury’s improvement.
“It’s not fun if you don’t think you’ve got a chance to win,” Speith said. “[But] if I felt like I was limited in a way that would affect my chances then there’d be no reason for me to feel like playing, because then I could further damage it and that’s not worth it.
Full-field tee times from the PGA Championship
“But since last Wednesday afternoon I feel like I can get into every position with the speed that I want and produce the scores that I want. I’m just a little rusty on the reps.”
With his left wrist and forearm taped, Spieth played the front nine on a blustery day at Oak Hill with few limitations.
“It’s more like any [shot] that I have to flick over, like a high bunker shot or a high flop shot, and you wouldn’t really have those as often as any other shot,” said Spieth, who played the back nine on Tuesday at the only major he’s never won. “I just don’t have the reps I’d like to have going into a major, but I’m happy I’m able to play because I certainly didn’t think so a week ago.”
Spieth said the injury was “random” and occurred at home in Dallas and that he’s undergone a variety of treatments on his wrist, including stem cell, laser and cold therapies. He started hitting golf balls again on Saturday and his confidence grew when he didn’t feel like he’d “taken a step back” with the injury the next day.
“I wouldn’t play if I didn’t think I was in good enough shape to play,” Spieth said.
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