'My Ceiling Is As High As Anybody's' - Jordan Spieth Using Scottie Scheffler Pursuit As Inspiration
Jordan Spieth says watching Scottie Scheffler rise at close quarters has been a double edged sword as he looks to close the gap on his good friend and World No.1
As Scottie Scheffler has risen to the top of the golfing world, Jordan Spieth has had a ringside seat. As a fellow Dallas resident, the pair have played together many times - but it's been a double edged sword.
Three-time Major champion Spieth started off his career in incredible fashion but has stalled somewhat since, while Scheffler has risen up the ranks and is now looking untouchable.
While Scheffler is off preparing for his wife to give birth, Spieth is the headline act at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in their native Texas, where he's hoping to find some of his best form again.
The 30-year-old has watched Scheffler emerge as golf's leading light and, being so close to him, he's obviously happy for his friend - but is also using just a hint of jealousy as inspiration.
"I have known Scottie since he was really, really young," said Spieth. "I think he's a better person than he is a player, and having known somebody and seen them come up and obviously went to University of Texas, I'm nothing but extremely excited and happy for him. It's well deserved and all that.
"And then on the flip side, like it's kind of the first time I've ever looked at somebody younger than me and I've driven inspiration. Like I am inspired by what he is doing. It makes me want to go out and get better, and that's always been someone that's older than me. Kind of the first time I felt that way about somebody that's younger.
"Because I play a decent amount of rounds with him here in town. I'm constantly seeing it and trying to beat him at home, and when he's playing better than I am, it sucks. I don't enjoy it when I'm side by side because there were however many years of our life it wasn't that way."
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"I've got plenty of runway to be able to get back." @JordanSpieth speaks on being inspired by Scottie Scheffler. pic.twitter.com/5hwFVTI752May 1, 2024
And now Scheffler is out in front and Spieth is looking up to him, he says he's not too far off from putting all parts of his game together to make a challenge.
"It's flipped and I feel like I've got plenty of runway to be able to get it back. It's inspiring at the same time to try make that happen," Spieth added.
"I have nothing in my way of being able to make that happen but my own self. I've got enough. I believe in my ceiling, and I believe my ceiling is as high as anybody's. I have to get each part of my game up towards its ceiling.
"I have a couple areas that are about at it right now and a couple areas that need to get there. If they do, then I feel like we could go on runs together I guess."
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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