Jordan Spieth plays it cool thanks to Lee Trevino

Could a kid who has just won his first professional tournament produce a Major upset at the US PGA Championship?

Jordan Spieth earned a spot at Muirfield by winning the John Deere Classic the week before The Open.

He then put in a creditable top 50 finish the day Phil Mickelson lifted the Claret Jug and all before he turned 20 last Saturday. Now he has his eye so focused on the final Major of the season, he withdrew from the lucrative WGC Bridgestone Classic in Akron this weekend!

Jordan attributes advice he got from fellow Dallas resident Lee Trevino for his meteoric rise to the top in his first year as a pro.

“He told me that back when he was in his prime, they were having fun all the time,” the youngster revealed.

“Nowadays it almost seems like they are a little more stressed and grinding.

“Lee contends you have to know how to mix it up, and he gave me advice on how to do that.

“Now if I get upset, I know all it will do is bring me down.

“So I’ve really learned how to keep a cool head when things are not going well.

“That in turn leads to hanging in rather than throwing myself out early, as I did in the past when I got hot under the collar.

“I just have to sit back and say to myself: ‘Who cares? It’s just a round of golf so there is no reason to stress about each and every shot’.

“What is going to happen will certainly happen, so I just have to go out there and prepare on the range.

“And if you get a bad break on the course, remind yourself everyone is going to get bad breaks.

“Obviously when you are playing well, it is easier to be in a good frame of mind.”

Spieth admits he cannot believe how his decision to skip college and turn professional has turned his life upside down.

“It has been a dream year come true,” he said.

“When I took the plunge, I did not have a clue what would happen or where I would be as I had to wait and see if I got invitations.

“Now it is just awesome to be in a position where I now get exemptions into tournaments.

“Obviously you do a lot of travelling, but I am enjoying that part of it.

“Winning the John Deere gave me my Players Card for the next two years, and I just can’t believe it.”

Spieth is part of the new up-and-coming generation of golfers who are not only winning at a young age, but who talk about how good Tiger Woods WAS!

“I remember vaguely watching Tiger Woods in the 2000 US Open,” Jordan admitted.

“That one stuck with me because you don’t often see a guy winning by 11 shots.”

You don’t often see a top player opt out of a WGC event either!

Young Mr Spieth is certainly one to watch this week, and may be worth an each-way bet.