Brendan de Jonge has admitted that he is not as optimistic about Jordan Spieth and his form as the three-time major champion seems to be.
Spieth will play no further part in the FedEx Cup playoffs after failing to break into the top 50 with his performance in Memphis this past week.
The Texan finished tied for 19th at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. However, that was not enough to earn him a ticket to the BMW Championship this week.
Nevertheless, Jordan Spieth seems to be quite content with the direction his game is going in.
Concern expressed about Jordan Spieth after his FedEx Cup exit
Spieth insisted he was close to playing some brilliant golf following his final round at TPC Southwind. In truth, he has been saying something very similar for much of the season.
The problem is that Spieth held a unique place among the field at the first FedEx Cup playoff event this past week. The 33-year-old was the only player teeing it up in Memphis who had failed to register a single top 10 on the PGA Tour this season.
Perhaps that should see his consistency praised. It is quite an impressive achievement to still make the top 70 in those circumstances.
However, speaking on 5 Clubs, Brendon de Jonge suggested that he does not agree with Spieth’s assessment of his game.
“I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t think he’s as close as he thinks he is. I think there’s still way too many loose shots from Jordan Spieth. Sure, the good is good. And the good is getting better, but it’s so hard to get that momentum on your side and get something going when there’s a foul ball right around the corner. And that seems to be the case for Jordan Spieth, and has been for the last few years,” he said.
“It becomes much, much more difficult. The scar tissue continues to build up, continues to build up. Plus, look at what’s coming up behind with these youngsters. It’s only going to get more and more difficult with the depth that continues to grow on the PGA Tour. Listen, golf is better when Jordan Spieth is playing well, there’s no doubt about it. But as I say, I don’t feel like he’s as close as he feels like he is.”
Where Jordan Spieth’s game ranks statistically this season
It does not always feel like it, but it does appear that Spieth is trying to build a much more well-rounded game.
He sits between 43rd and 83rd on the PGA Tour in every major strokes gained category. It is arguably a positive sign that there is not one glaring weakness within his game.
When he was struggling with his wrist, his driving seemed to improve considerably. However, his approach play suffered dramatically, with Spieth clearly wary of how his injury would cope when his club interacted with the turf.
It would be good to see Spieth play a number of times over the Fall. It would certainly be a boost if he could end his current wait for a PGA Tour win, which now stretches well over four years.
But if he feels that he is close, Spieth may feel that he has little reason to change his plans.