Resurgent Spieth Can Conquer Royal St George’s Next Month

There shouldn’t be much debate about golf’s most improved player in 2021. Sure, Hideki Matsuyama blew away some rust to win the Masters, and Phil Mickelson, of course, did something extraordinary by winning the PGA Championship when most thought he was ready for the seniors’ events, but those were one-off performances. No player in golf has had a turnaround quite like Jordan Spieth.

The Texan has recorded eight Top 10 finishes since February, a run that includes a Valero Open victory and third place in the Masters. He is not quite at the 2015-2017 level of ridiculous dominance, but he is not far off it either. Spieth is most definitely back, and he should be in the hunt for Majors again. The 149^th Open (July 15^th – 18^th) at Royal St George’s should be top of his list. 

Spieth “at home” in the UK

A few weeks ago, MansionBet’s expert golf tipster, Steve Palmer, correctly predicted that Spieth would do well in the Charles Schwab Challenge (Spieth finished second, and should have won). Palmer reasoned that Spieth does well in his home state, citing that Valero Texas Open win as an example. But Spieth also looks at home in Britain, regardless of the rotation of The Open.

Spieth’s record at the Open Championship is excellent. He has never missed a cut. His record in the last five Opens reads: 4^th, 30^th, 1^st, 9^th, 20^th. If you want to compare that to Dustin Johnson – the betting favourite for next month’s tournament – 49^th, 9^th, 54^th, CUT, 51^st. Spieth (14/1) makes a lot more sense for punters than his American colleague, Johnson (10/1).

Of course, Spieth was still an amateur the last time The Open was held at Royal St George’s in 2011. Darren Clarke was the winner back then, and we should point out that Dustin Johnson had his best-ever finish in the Open when finishing second.

Weather can play a role at Sandwich 

Royal St George’s, which is located on the southeast coast of England in Sandwich, Kent, is arguably not the toughest venue on The Open rotation – certainly not as daunting as Carnoustie. But it is quite the challenge, and it boasts certain idiosyncrasies that can bamboozle players. Its location – Kent is usually pleasant in the summer months – can be misleading, too, with even mild gusts of wind coming off the sea capable of playing havoc with players’ shots.

Indeed, the weather could play a big role in determining the winner of the 149^th Open. Clarke relished the conditions back in 2011, whereas others, like Rory McIlroy, complained that it wasn’t much fun playing in a tournament where the elements had such a tournament on the outcome. But this is the way for the majority of Open Championships, regardless of where they are held.

Again, while there are differences between Royal Birkdale, where Spieth won The Open in 2017, and Royal St George’s, the American showed then that he could deal with inclement weather on a British links championship-level course. That, coupled with his vastly improved form, makes him the man to beat next month in our book.

Jordan Spieth image by Peetlesnumber1