Jordan Spieth - Is he a choker?

[Val]

Its well known what happened at the Masters this year with Spieth but i'll take you back to the US Open of 2015 at Chambers Bay, Spieth is leading by 2 shots and double bogeys 17 with Johnson then going on to birdie 17. Spieth obviously went onto birdie an relatively easy par 5 for these guys with Johnson famously 3 stabbing to give Spieth the win, Spieth choked that day and got lucky because DJ is a serial choker and has plenty previous for it.

Open Championship 2015 at St Andrews, chasing the grand slam having bagged the seasons first 2 majors. He is in contention with 2 to play, 2 pars and he's in a play off with Johnson. Bogey 17 and requiring a birdie down the last which to be fair is an easy par 4 and a birdie chance for the top pro's and he birdied it twice in previous rounds, he made par. Another choke?

Then we have the Masters in 2014 when he dumped a ball ironically enough into the water on 12 to hand Bubba the advantage who went onto win, prior to that he was leading before bogeys on 8 and 9. His first big choke?

There is no doubt this guy can play, he is a top class putter and having bagged 2 majors at such a young age shows his class but I believe he should have had a second green jacket this year and believe he should have won the Open last year. I just have a niggling feeling that what we're seeing with him is his inability to really close it out when it's tight.

Discuss.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I don't believe he is a choker as such but I believe that his temperament when faced with a struggle is suspect. If everything isn't going his way and he is having to battle I think he makes basic mistakes and seems unable to compose himself quickly.

 

[User62651]

Not a choker, his stellar putting under pressure shows that, however his long game is so-so - that's the reason he hasn't won those other titles imo. If he ever loses his putting touch he's nowhere.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

No, no and no. He has huge bottle. You can't hit great shots all the time and pressure will inevitably show at some point. He hit one awful shot but it followed a poor one which exacerbated a situation. How many drives down the middle did he hit, how many nerve wracking putts did he hole? The bloke has loads of bottle and I would happily back him next time round in a similar situation.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Nope. He makes the odd mental error and made a poor swing (a fault he battled all week; weak, push-fading the ball right) at the wrong time (the 12th) where there was little opportunity to recover. On another hole he could have gotten up and down. He's just human. He'll recover just fine and wouldn't be surprised to see him win something of significance later this year.

I'm more concerned about Rors.

 

[Curls]

Wow, no no no!

What struck me the other evening when he dunked another in at 12 was how young he looked. You forget how young he is but he only really arrived in the last season or two. Every time something like this happens him, a bit of the kid gets chipped away. It's tough, but he's more mentally tough than many of the top guys on tour, this only makes him more determined.

Don't worry about him being a choker, there are plenty who could carry that name but he isn't one of them.

 

[jmf1488]

So DJ choked at Chambers Bay, Speith choked at the Masters. Rory choked at the Masters. I think you can make a case for every golfer on tour "choking".

 

[Val]

No, no and no. He has huge bottle. You can't hit great shots all the time and pressure will inevitably show at some point. He hit one awful shot but it followed a poor one which exacerbated a situation. How many drives down the middle did he hit, how many nerve wracking putts did he hole? The bloke has loads of bottle and I would happily back him next time round in a similar situation.

Nope. He makes the odd mental error and made a poor swing (a fault he battled all week; weak, push-fading the ball right) at the wrong time (the 12th) where there was little opportunity to recover. On another hole he could have gotten up and down. He's just human. He'll recover just fine and wouldn't be surprised to see him win something of significance later this year.

I'm more concerned about Rors.

You are just thinking Sunday at the Masters past, I've highlighted a few majors he has done the same thing in, he has previous for a blow up at the majors and he had plenty chances at PGA tour events and couldnt close them out before he got over the line.

The guy is young and obviously a massive talent and Ive no doubt he'll win more majors BUT I have a lingering thought we'll see him choke again.

 

[ruff-driver]

Jordan may have seen the footage of me from saturday
par 3 over water, tee shot splosh, drop zone splosh, walked off with a 7,
happens to us all

 

[freddielong]

He does seem to prefer being the chaser rather than the chased, I don't see him as a choker though.

 

[butchercd]

7 on 12 then 2 birdies in the next 3 holes. That shows a lot about him being able to compose himself in difficult times.

 

[Capella]

Not a choker, now. I would not say he choked on Sunday, he recovered relatively well with a birdie on 13 and another one on 15. Looks more to me as if he gets thrown out of his concentration more easily than he used to, though, and is then likely to make mistakes. He seemed fidgety to me while before I had always had him down as a player with nerves of steele under pressure.

 

[Jimaroid]

Pressure gets to everyone at some point. I think he's won too much to be considered a serial choker, but he's obviously had situations where he's made mistakes under pressure.

The way I see it, he has too much reliance on his short game. His putting is brilliant and often saves him so he probably doesn't feel pressure when putting but I'm sure he feels it between tee and green and that seems to be where it's going wrong for him.

 

[guest100718]

Dj is a choker...

 

[351DRIVER]

Choking is bad shot and fail to recover
He bounces back often with a birdie a birdie a birdie
Is he a choker? Nope

I think he was not playing his best golf, but that was until the 12th still good enough to have him in the lead, a bad swing there and you are in the water, no practise from the drop zone on 12 and an unsure swing, equals 7.

He got up and down from the bunker

No choking involved IMO.. choking would be getting onto 13th and taking 6 and having zero chance, with 3 holes to go he still might have won

You want a Choker, look at Lee Westwood, he has always struck me as a guy that will never get it done

 

[Ethan]

He was struggling with that shove to the right all week and saving it with putting. Couldn't do that at the 12th. The third shot was a horror, though.

 

[delc]

He was struggling with that shove to the right all week and saving it with putting. Couldn't do that at the 12th. The third shot was a horror, though.

Wonder if he would have down better by taking 3 off the tee? I wouldn't have fancied that pitch shot off a tight downhill lie!

 

[NWJocko]

He was struggling with that shove to the right all week and saving it with putting. Couldn't do that at the 12th. The third shot was a horror, though.

Yep, he got away with a lot of bad shots the first 3 days managing to rescue pars. Even the front 9 Sunday did the same but just caught up with him on the back 9.

DJ probably fits the bill though....

 

[Val]

Dj is a choker...

And some

 

[Curls]

Also he misread a birdie putt on 16 that would have seen him get within 1 of Danny with 17 and 18 to come. Not easy holes, granted, but 18 was a birdie opportunity and had it gone to a playoff anything could have happened (I'd have fancied Willett to win on the grounds he was playing so well that day, but the pressure would've been immense and Jordan has more experience at that level so who knows).