|
 The 22-year-old double major winner finished tied for fifth at the
European Tour's Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday after some erratic
play on the greens left him five shots adrift of compatriot and
champion Rickie Fowler.
The victory in a strong field also featuring four-times major winner
Rory McIlroy and world number six Henrik Stenson left Spieth,
already a winner in Hawaii this year, with someone to target.
"I'd argue Ricky Fowler is the hottest name in golf right now, he is
the previous week's winner, he beat all of us, so he is the best
player, that's the way I look at it," the Texan told reporters at
Sentosa Golf Club on Tuesday ahead of this week's Singapore Open.
"I look at it most recent, the rankings look at it in a two-year
cycle. For me, I was beat by four guys last week, I need to get
better, that's my drive," added Spieth, who stormed up the rankings
with victories at last year's Masters and U.S. Open.
"I'm not satisfied if I don't have my best stuff week-to-week, even
though that is not going to happen. It still leaves me wanting more,
so I come into this week trying to really improve my short game from
last week as well as maintain my ball striking."
Spieth is the overwhelming favorite to triumph in the $1 million
Asian Tour opener, also co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour, with
world number 26 An Byeong-hun and Welshman Jamie Donaldson the only
others in the field ranked in the top 50.
PUTTING WOES
Weariness, though, is another opponent Spieth will have to negotiate
after feeling the effects of a "crazy four-month adventure" of
tournament play in South Korea, China, Australia, the U.S., Middle
East and now Southeast Asia.
[to top of second column] |
"It was certainly fatigue at the end of that day," he said of his
feelings after Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
"I was very pleased with the form last week, I just didn't make
anything and that happens. I can normally rely on my putter when
everything else goes off and I had a lot of chances from that
mid-range distance I normally feel very confident on but I just
mis-read them or the speed was just off.
"I was actually pretty pleased to turn in a top five with what I
felt like was disappointing with my short game."
The hazard-filled Serapong Course layout is not a place for anyone
struggling with their short game, however, with large undulating
greens ready to deceive, as McIlroy found out during a third-place
finish in 2012, the last time the event was held.
"Looking at the yardage book there is a lot of trouble, a lot of
water hazards," Spieth said of the tight layout.
"And some massive greens too, so I will need to work on my speed
control... so I'm not three-putting. You can get 60 or 70-feet putts
regularly out here. The goal is definitely to win this week."
(Editing by John O'Brien)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
