Jordan Spieth showed up at the Augusta National practice putting green three hours and 15 minutes before his scheduled tee time Sunday with a surprise guest in tow.
Cameron McCormick, Spieth’s swing coach, typically leaves events before weekend play begins, but Spieth brought him back to help him before Sunday’s final round began. Golf Channel analysts reacted after McCormick’s appearance was captured on “Live From the Masters.”
“Flying his coach in, there is a bit of a desperate nature to that,” Brandel Chamblee said. “Bobby Jones famously said to Jack Nicklaus’ father, Charlie, that he didn’t become the player he was until he learned to self-correct and quit running back to his coach. Of course, Charlie passed that back to Jack, and it resonated with Jack Nicklaus, and he quit running back to Jack Grout and learned to fix it himself. And through fixing it yourself, I believe there is a confidence in discovery.
“I think this is a little bit troubling. Having said that, Jordan Spieth has probably driven it about as bad as anyone I have ever seen who is leading a major championship after three rounds.”
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David Duval said it’s important Spieth identify the problems that were affecting his swing on Saturday.
“If you don’t get it quite straight on Masters Sunday, they will show themselves again,” Duval said. “So, that is probably why he brought in his coach, to really try to get reassured with what he is doing, fixing little things.
“You do need to make birdies on Sunday. You do need to avoid mistakes.”
Colin Montgomerie said Spieth did more than lose three shots with his bogey and double bogey finish Saturday. He emboldened his chasers.
“All the dinners tasted better last night than they would have otherwise,” Montgomerie said.
Montgomerie said Spieth should expect to feel pressured by players trailing him, with big moves possible on Sunday’s favorable setup.
“He’s not playing well,” Montgomerie said. “Yes, he’s putting is great. He’s Tiger Woods-esque on the greens, which is keeping him in there ... Jordan Spieth is dead right. He can’t keep relying on his putter. He has to hit the ball better.”
