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Jordan Spieth Says He 'Feels Great' Heading into Masters

The former Longhorn feels he his game is in great shape, even if his recent finishes don't show it

Jordan Spieth does not look like he’s in the same place he was a year ago. But he feels that way as he prepares for the Masters, which starts on Thursday.

“I feel great, played the last two weeks leading into this week, which is what I've done every year,” Spieth said on Tuesday.

Those last two weeks were spent at the World Golf Championship Match Play Championship and the Valero Texas Open. At both tournaments, Spieth finished in a tie for 35th place.

Last year Spieth was on a considerable roll. He finished tied for ninth at the Match Play and won the Texas Open. That helped him finish in a tie for third at the Masters.

So what makes him think he’s in position to win his second green jacket?

“I feel like my game's in a great spot,” Spieth said. “I feel like I'm ready to contend. And with the predicted forecast and if we don't get too much rain, the course was as firm and fast as I've ever seen it on a Monday. So ideally it gets back to that, throw in some wind, and you're going to really need to know the golf course, plot your way around really well.”

At the Texas Open, Spieth led the field in strokes tee to green but wasn’t able to make a dent in the Top 10 due to his putter. Spieth said he wasn’t able to adjust to the slower greens in San Antonio. He’s put in the work with his coach and has a plan to get one of the best parts of his game moving in the right direction.

Spieth usually putts well at Augusta. The traditionally faster greens, which can sometimes run like glass, seem to better suit Spieth’s touch.

He’s also happy with the late tee time on Thursday, saying it will give him a chance to watch most of the field take to the course and give him a bit of a scouting report.

Spieth isn’t doing anything different entering this Masters. He still working on those shots that you ‘only’ need at Augusta, like the long, right-to-left draws that come in handy on the 10th and 13th holes. He admitted that he cracked the face on one of his 3-woods earlier this week in preparation for the tournament. But he still wants more spin on the shot.

But any special Masters preparation or equipment? Spieth used to think he had to do that when he was younger. Not anymore.

“It’s just get adjusted to the speed of the greens, and there's not a whole lot I think,” he said. “You have a lot of uneven lies, but you hit on a flat driving range. Other than playing a lot of holes, there's not a ton else to do, I don't think.”

Regardless of momentum, Augusta is a course where Spieth has always felt comfortable. He debuted in 2014 in a tie for second place, followed by his first green jacket — and first major championship victory — along with a tie for second in 2016, the year he collapsed thanks to a quadruple bogey seven on No. 12. He also finished in a tie for 11th in 2017 and third place in 2018.

That’s why Spieth is considered a favorite this week, even if his recent play hasn’t shown a player that’s ready for the season’s first major.

“I feel like my game's in a lot better place than even it was last year here,” Spieth said.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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