Q. Bogey-free 62, lowest round since 2021. What did you like about your final round today?
JORDAN SPIETH: I made the putt on the first, and I made my eagle putt yesterday, and it just kind of seemed like finally there was a hole.
I've been putting, actually stroking it really well coming into this week, and I didn't have much go in in Hilton Head, but statistically I've been on a really good putting run, and I just kind of got in a lull for what seemed to be Hilton Head and the off week even into the first few days here. Luckily today seemed to get out of it.
It wasn't just making birdie putts. It was the constant three to four-footers for par that just felt a little bit easier than they did earlier in the week. Just had a couple go in.
I knew there wasn't going to be much wind today. I knew, in order to make up any ground, you had to shoot 6-under or better. I thought that something 8 to 10 would get me a top 10 or maybe even a top 5. We'll see how it pans out.
I got a bit lucky on 18. I thought I hit it in the water, and I ended up making birdie. Those are the kinds of breaks you need to sometimes shoot 62.
Q. Of the nine birdies, would you say that was the most important one today?
JORDAN SPIETH: Honestly, just seeing the putt go in the middle on No. 1 was nice. It was only six or seven feet, but it was an uphill right-to-lefter, and I'd missed, for whatever reason, my last three or four from four to six feet up the hill and to the left. I played them too high. And I just went firmer and lower and knocked it in.
I was like, wow, okay. I liked how that felt. I saw one go in. I felt like I'm going to scare the hole from now on. I hit the lip on the next two, made it on 4, 5, and 6, and it just seemed a bit easier from there.
You can go in lulls, and I know that you can bounce out of them literally in a hole or two. Sometimes when you're putting well, you have to have a lot of rounds that are bad in order to not feel good. But the good news is bipolarness on the greens can bounce back to positive pretty quickly.
Q. You've had a lot of consistency this season, it seems like you're getting into more bogey-free rounds, a lot of solid finishes. Has that been a goal to try to get back to that position of consistent play?
JORDAN SPIETH: Yes, the ultimate goal is consistent play, but it's not bogey avoidance or anything like that. I'm not changing strategy. It's just that my mechanics are just getting a little bit better each week. I'm able to do sufficient stuff maybe that I wasn't able to do last year that maybe my wrist is holding me back, I'm not sure.
I feel really good about what we're working on. I know how to -- I need to get a little bit on top of -- I started to get some nerves going on the back nine. I didn't drive it great when I was driving it really well, so I need to figure out why that was.
Little nuances like that when you start to feel like you're in contention -- I mean, contention for second place, but in contention nonetheless. The more you can do that, the easier it feels the next time. So just try to go in the next week and just get off to -- you know, just cap off what these last really 19 holes were here.
Q. Jordan, is this something you've even thought about or dreamt about in the past, you and Scottie playing at home at the top of the leaderboard at a pro event, except for that nine-shot gap. Have you thought about that a lot?
JORDAN SPIETH: I just always -- and three years ago I was there, which is cool. That was probably the best chance I ever had in this event was '22. I don't really care who else is there, to be honest.
Yeah, with Scottie there -- I don't think this counts. I went off two hours ahead of him. Yeah, it would have been really cool if I were the one in that last group, and at least we were going back and forth a little. That would have been pretty fun, just being hometown players.
We had awesome crowds the first two days. I wish that I would have been able to keep up with him those two rounds. It was nice to maybe shoot a round that will hold -- he might even shoot 10 today, so who knows.
Q. (No microphone)?
JORDAN SPIETH: That's great. It doesn't matter to me who else is up there. I play a lot of golf with him in town here. I know, if I'm able to clip him when we're playing at home, then I'm playing really well. That's just the way it's been the last few years. It didn't used to be that way. I used to get him every time.
It's inspiring what he's doing. It makes me want to work harder and be better, especially after watching him for two days and just getting my butt kicked. I didn't play great golf, but even if I did, it would have been hard to be at 18-under in two rounds. I don't think I've ever done that.
So just getting your butt kicked right there face to face at this tournament really stinks. So it's a little icing on the cake, I guess, to finish to backdoor into a top 10 or top 5 or whatever ends up happening.
Q. (No microphone)?
JORDAN SPIETH: Thank you. I'll take it.
Q. (No microphone)?
JORDAN SPIETH: I think it would have been more difficult like back in the day. I don't feel like it would be as difficult now for some reason. I think, just having played so many of them and then you just play so many tournaments, it's like, oh, it's another tournament. It's easier to win that way versus putting any extra emphasis anywhere.
Sure, you do want it. I want it -- like I'm trying to think about three years ago when I had a chance on the last few holes. It's like I don't remember that feeling different from many other events other than off the course. Off the course it means more, but when you're there, it's just like you've got to play this shot to this spot and try to make birdie.
If you're focused the right way, then it doesn't make much of a difference. I won't win this one, but hopefully Colonial would be a fun one in a few weeks.
Q. (No microphone)?
JORDAN SPIETH: It's good. I felt like in my last three week stretch, which is San Antonio, Augusta, Hilton Head, it was just I felt like there was two easily avoidable shots per round, just random stuff like I thinned a bunker shot when I never thin a bunker shot or made a double when I should have made par. Like random 1 in 50 situations that I'm doing to myself.
I did it the first two rounds here, and I did a better job the last two days of not. I just need to gradually improve the way that I'm improving. I don't need to do anything different. I just need to push it more.
Again, just these little mistakes, just take care of them. It's easier said than done. We're always going to make some kind of mistake, but I just felt like there was eight shots a week, so it was like I'm finishing 12th or 14th or something. It's like that's -- just 2 of those 8 is a top 5.
I guess all that to say it feels close. I'm not going to try to force anything, and this was a good improvement.
Q. Assuming Scottie gets to the finish line, an event you both want to win badly, how happy will you be for him?
JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, very. Like I just mentioned, what he's doing is inspiring, what he's been doing is inspiring given -- I mean, it wasn't that long ago I was definitely better than him, and now I'm definitely not right now.
I hate admitting that about anybody, but I just watched it those first two rounds, and like I've got to get better. It's very inspiring.
It's this event, but it could be anywhere. I'm not jealous of him winning this event over any other. I'm jealous of anyone that wins any week. I want to be the person there, and that's my drive.
When he does it, it's nice because, one, I just played with him these two rounds, but I'm also playing with him at home. Well, I've got more of a gauge on exactly where I need to be when I'm getting to play a lot of golf with him.
He certainly has earned this one. I don't see it going anywhere but just fine for him coming down the stretch. I'm going to be super pumped that -- when Scottie wins, I'm happy. It doesn't matter where it is. If I'm not going to win, I like when he wins.
Q. You played with Si Woo all four rounds. How much fun was that, and do you think it helped you at all?
JORDAN SPIETH: I would sign up to be paired with him, maybe one of my favorite pairings on TOUR. Just really entertaining. He and Manny are so entertaining. He's fast. He roots for you. It's an easy pairing.
Yeah, we were obviously celebrating, we both wanted it after No. 9 yesterday. I mean, he's just a tremendous talent, so you're watching shots that I like to play around the greens, but not many people like to play them. Si Woo is like hold my beer and watch this pretty much. He'll one-up you on shots that you think you're good at. It's very fun.
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