PGA Championship: Jordan Spieth plays down thoughts of Grand Slam
Written by News on 18/05/2019
Jordan Spieth says he can’t imagine the possibility of completing the career Grand Slam after closing in on the halfway lead at the PGA Championship.
The 25-year-old, who would become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2000 to win all four majors with victory at Bethpage Black, fired a four-under 66 to set the clubhouse target on Friday morning.
Without a worldwide top-10 since The Open at Carnoustie and searching for a first victory since lifting the Claret Jug a year earlier, Spieth followed an opening-round 69 by reaching the turn in level-par before surging up the leaderboard with four birdies in his second nine.
Spieth holed a 20-footer at the first and picked up a shot at the par-five fourth, with back-to-back birdies from the seventh taking him to five under for the tournament.
“I can’t imagine it (the possibility of the Grand Slam) because I haven’t been in contention on a Sunday since The Open last year,” Spieth said. “If I’m able to put some good work in tomorrow, then I will I will be in contention on Sunday.
“At that point, it will be just more of trying to win a golf tournament. It won’t matter to me what tournament it is. I’ll be pleased to be in contention, knowing that the work I put in from being pretty far off has really come back nicely on a very difficult golf course.”
Daniel Berger is a further stroke back on four under alongside world No 1 Dustin Johnson, who posted five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his way to a three-under 67.
“I feel like I’m in a good position” Johnson said. “I’m happy with where I’m at no matter what the lead is after today. I’m going to be somewhere around it or close enough with 36 holes left,
“I missed quite a few short ones there but if I keep giving myself chances, I feel like I’m rolling the putter well. The greens are tricky, they’re hard to read.
“They’re very subtle and I missed a lot of putts just playing too much break. I felt like I’m hitting good putts, so I need to keep doing that.”
Watch the PGA Championship throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf and 5.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event.
(c) Sky News 2019: PGA Championship: Jordan Spieth plays down thoughts of Grand Slam
