ROCHESTER, NY — Jordan Spieth played nine more practice holes at Oak Hill Country Club on Wednesday, and the three-time major champion says his injured left wrist feels good enough to play in the PGA Championship.
Spieth, the 10th player in the world, pulled out of AT&T Byron Nelson last week in McKinney, Texas, due to an injury. On Wednesday, he said he injured his wrist at home in a “random” accident.
“I feel good,” said Spieth. “I wouldn’t play if I didn’t think I was in good enough shape to be able to play.”
Spieth, 29, will make the seventh attempt to complete a grand slam. He will become only the sixth player to win the Masters Championship, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open Championship in the modern era, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.
Spieth said he got a full practice session on Saturday and didn’t have a setback. He underwent laser therapy, stem cell therapy and cold therapy for the past several days. He sports a ribbon on his left wrist and a black KT ribbon on his forearm.
“Name the kind of treatment,” Speth said, “I’ve done just about everything.” “I’m continuing to do it. He’s recovered. I don’t know how much, but enough to be able to play this week.”
Spieth said he feels most uncomfortable with shots that require the most wrist movement. He had a full practice session on Tuesday, hitting balls for 70 minutes. He was hitting every club in his bag. He played nine holes with Justin Thomas and Tom Kim on Wednesday and was back on the practice range afterward.
“It’s more like anything I have to flip, like a high-bunker shot or a high-flip shot,” said Speth. “I don’t have the actors I’d like to major in, but I’m glad I’m able to play because I certainly didn’t think about that a week ago.”
Keeping the ball in the lanes on Oak Hill’s eastern outfield will be important to every player on the field, but especially to Spieth. His avoidance of high pitch roughness will prevent him from having to blast a ball through thick turf.
“It sucks,” said Speth. “There’s nothing that separates this from the US Open. This is the US Open. It’s outrageous. The lanes are fixed.” [and] Tight, rough, thick. As hard as it gets, it feels like an open golf course in the US, and par is as good a score as it sounds. Obviously, we played the last two days in very windy conditions, so that will make a difference.”
Spieth plays with Irish Shane Lowry and Norwegian Victor Hovland in the first two rounds in a distinguished group. The trio is scheduled to go into the first round at 8:22 a.m. ET. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 40s.
Spieth last won a major tournament at The Open at Royal Birkdale in England in July 2017. He won both the Masters and the US Open in 2015.
Spieth said he wouldn’t play if he didn’t think he could win this week.
“It’s no fun if you don’t think you have a chance to win,” he said. “If I feel restricted in a way that would affect my chances, there is no reason to feel like playing because then I might damage it more and it just isn’t worth it.”