“That's tough” - Jordan Spieth on the challenges of adding new designated events to his schedule
The PGA Tour recently made some major announcements. From this season onwards, Tour professionals will need to play in 16 of the 17 designated events that have been announced.
This has been done to increase the involvement of top-ranked players in the marquee tournaments and raise the interest of fans. The purse of these events has been elevated. These events include the the four majors, Players Championship, and three FedEx Cup playoff events.
However, players are allowed to skip one of the events, just like McIlroy did by skipping the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He will have to play the rest of the events.
Jordan Spieth was asked about his scheduling plans. In an era of designated events, Spieth has shortlisted his choice of the tournament he might skip. Either it will be the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club or the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.
“It would be an easy decision if it weren’t for the Presidents Cup last year,” Spieth said.
Spieth said he’s going to participate in four straight tournaments from AT&T Byron Nelson in the second week of May through the Memorial Tournament in Ohio. The other two events in between are the the PGA Championship at Oak Hill and the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club. Interestingly, Colonial Country Club is one of Spieth’s favorite courses.
If Jordan Spieth were to play Wells Fargo, it would be five consecutive weeks for him, which he has never done before. Wells Fargo is scheduled a week before Byron Nelson, which means he will play five consecutive weeks for the first time in his career.
If Jordan Spieth chooses to feature in the Travelers Championship, it would make six appearances in seven weeks. Just a week before the Travelers Championship, there is a U.S. Open.
“I’ve always wanted to play Quail Hollow, and it just always would be five in a row,” Spieth said on the question of playing in the Wells Fargo Championship.
Spieth concluded that it seemed like he would skip either the Wells Fargo or Tavelers Championship this year.
“That’s tough. But I don’t think I could skip Jack’s event,” said Spieth.
"We’re doing the RV life" - Jordan Spieth on traveling with family
Jordan Spieth and his family will be traveling between the tournaments. A question popped up during his pre-tournament press conference at the Sony Open about whether it would be tough to find a place to stay in Scottsdale given the next elevated event, the WM Phoenix Open, takes place in the same week as the Super Bowl event. The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday at Glendale.
Jordan said that is not going to be a big problem for him as he has a "house on wheels."
“We’re doing the RV life. Yeah, bought a bus last fall, so we’ll be in that every week,” Spieth told reporters.
Spieth is one of the favorites at the Waialae Country Club, where he will be facing the likes of defending champion Hideki Matsuyama. He finished third in 2017 and missed the cut in 2019, his last appearance at the Sony Open. The Sony Open will conclude on Sunday 15.