Planet Golf — 14 November 2016 by GW staff and news services
Rested Spieth ready for Aussie Open

SYDNEY — Jordan Spieth feels fresh and healthy after a six-week break and says he is ready to add another Australian Open crown to his collection of titles.

The No. 5-ranked Spieth won the Australian Open by 6 shots in 2014, becoming the first American in 20 years to win the tournament. He finished tied for second with Adam Scott last year.

Spieth hasn’t played a competitive round since helping the United States regain the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club on the first weekend of October.

“I feel very fresh. I feel as strong and healthy as I’ve felt … probably ever to be honest,” Spieth told the Australian Associated Press during a practice round at Royal Sydney on Monday, adding that it was “really nice taking a few weeks off, just training and only start getting back into golf the last couple weeks. Really trying to make it an offseason.”

Having played at The Australian Golf Club the past two years, Spieth will face a new challenge at Royal Sydney, which is near Sydney Harbour.

“Tree-lined, different green styles and types of grass, but what a cool piece of property this is,” Spieth said of the Royal Sydney course at Rose Bay in the city’s east. “The scores are just going to be dependent on weather, I think — how hard the wind blows. If it doesn’t blow, you can tear this place up, and if it does, then you can get into some trouble quickly.”

Spieth said his game plan wouldn’t change much, although he may have to “think a little bit more.”

“Nothing really changes, other than less drivers most likely,” he said. “I still plan on being pretty aggressive, so I’ve just got to try and figure out where all these slopes are, so when the pins are in their locations for the tournament you understand which sides to miss it on.”

The Australian Open starts Thursday. Matt Jones is not defending the title he won in 2015, but Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and Aaron Baddeley will be leading the local charge.

 

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