Larry Mize has never met Jordan Spieth. He’s never even had a chance to talk with him.
“But,” Mize said, “I’m looking forward to him buying me dinner next year.”
Mize, the 1987 Masters champion, will have the opportunity to get to know the newest Masters winners next spring when Spieth will host the annual Champions Dinner. In the meantime he and other members of the Champions Tour are quite impressed with the young Texan.
Mize, in town to compete in this week’s Greater Gwinnett Championship at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, marveled at the composure shown by Spieth in his wire-to-wire victory. Mize competed but did not make the cut in Augusta last week.
“He’s played in the Masters twice and he’s finished second and first,” Mize said. “Does that work very well? It’s great in so many ways and it’s great for American golf. Since Tiger came along we haven’t really had anybody come along that’s been great. This kid is very impressive.”
Steve Jones, who won the 1996 U.S. Open, has been keeping an eye on Spieth and wasn’t really surprised to see him break through.
“He’s been playing so well and he’s so mature,” said Jones, who made the Greater Gwinnett field on Monday in a qualifier. “Now you never know what’s going to happen. Now, has he peaked or is he only getting started?”
Jones and two-time PGA Tour winner Paul Goydos see the only real limitation for Spieth as his driver. Spieth ranks 63rd on the PGA Tour in driving distance and is 88th in driving accuracy, hitting 61.7 percent of fairways.
“He’s not as long as some of the other guys,” Goydos said. “But he’s long enough and he does so many other things so well.”
Jones said, “He’s one of the shorter to win (the Masters), but he putts so well and knows how to score.”
Spieth has been incredible on the greens. He ranks fourth on the tour’s Strokes Gained: Putting category and is considered similar is skill level there to fellow Texan Ben Crenshaw. Spieth had only one real hiccup on the greens last week at Augusta National.
The three Champions Tour players were especially impressive by the way Spieth handled the weekend pressure, when he refused to fold despite being chased by major champions like Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson.
“Justin Rose did just what he needed to do (on Sunday). He birdied No. 1 and 2,” Mize said. “But Jordan birdied one right on top of him and he came back and made a phenomenal putt on No. 3. Justin’s thinking, ‘I’m doing all I can do.’ (Spieth) responded very impressively.”
Jones said, “It’s all about confidence. A lot of people have similar skills, it’s all about what’s in your head.”
Two-time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen didn’t have time to talk on Tuesday morning. “I’ve got to get a look at the course,” he explained. But Janzen did tweet that, “Jordan Spieth is one special kind of player and role model.”
Janzen will have time to join defending Greater Gwinnett champion Miguel Angel Jimenez and Mize for the State Bank Pro-Am on Wednesday. The Thursday pro-am includes 2013 champion Bernhard Langer and Georgians Larry Nelson, Billy Andrade and Gene Sauers. The 54-hole tournament begins on Friday.
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