"You can tell right now that Jordan Spieth's worst enemy is Jordan Spieth"
/Gary McCord uttered those words on the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic's final round telecast, watching Spieth go from 2nd to 18th in another "frustrating" round.
Whether it's lingering fatigue from the bad scheduling start to his year, residual frustration from the Masters second place finish, or something else hanging over Spieth's head, his attitude is impacting his play and, I sense, fan perception of Spieth given how seemingly great his life would seem to be. (Many have noted the way he talked to Michael Greller at The Players as another sign of something slightly amiss.)
Will Gray notes that Spieth telegraphed the so-so week and that contending at all was a positive. I would agree except that Spieth had us marveling last year at his ability to hold together his game even on the worst days. He does not have that gift yet in 2016, and my sense is that the gift did not simply disappear. It feels more like fatigue or something else weighing on him.
If it's any consolation, Adam Schupak reports that Nelson runner-up Brooks Koepka lamented the state of his game, which got him to a playoff before losing to Sergio Garcia.
Have you ever heard so many great players in contention lamenting their games? Strange times, but it's a long season and I have to wonder if the wealth of playing opportunities and additional pressures from extreme visibility are weighing on the youngsters.
Peter Kostis offered his thoughts on Spieth's swing during the final round: