Masters notebook: Spieth returns to Augusta National with experience to draw from

They say success at Augusta National Golf Club is something that must be acquired.

Because of the course’s unique challenges and nuances, experience on its hills, valleys and sloping greens is required to contend in the Masters Tournament.

Sometimes talent supersedes the going narrative.

Last year, Jordan Spieth nearly became the first player to win in his Masters debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, and he nearly did it at the ripe old age of 20, which would have made him the youngest Masters champion ever and youngest major champion since 1922.

Spieth held a two-shot lead over Bubba Watson with 11 holes to play in last year’s final round before making bogeys on three of those final 11 holes to shoot an even-par 72 and finish as a runner-up, three strokes behind Watson.

“That was definitely the highest amount of pressure I've ever felt,” Spieth said. “That first tee shot, I think I hit it into [No.] 9 fairway and was just real quick off the tee. I played pretty much the entire round feeling different than I've ever felt on the golf course.

“So I guess the hardest lesson taken from last year was that I had an opportunity to make a dream come true, and I had it in my hands, and then I was just a little anxious.”

Spieth now has that experience to learn from, as well as the pressure cooker last fall that is the Ryder Cup, in which he went 2-1-1 in the U.S.’ losing effort.

He enters the 79^th Masters with a much different mindset than his tournament debut. “I think I remember saying I had no expectations, didn't know what it was going to be like, never played the tournament before,” Spieth said. “This year, I come in maybe expecting to play well on a course I feel very comfortable on.”

Despite his youth, Spieth is on the short list of top contenders this week.

Though he won’t turn 22 until late July, he is the No. 4 player in the world and the fourth player to win two PGA Tour events before the age of 22.

That record doesn’t include his incredible finish to 2014. He tied for third – a shot out of a playoff – at the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan, won a Emirates Australian Open that included Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Jason Day by six shots, and won Tiger Woods’ 18-player Hero World Challenge in Florida the following week by 10 shots.

The momentum hasn’t slowed any.

In his last 10 events worldwide he has three wins, seven top-fives and nine top-10s.

In his last three events, Spieth won the Valspar Championship then finished second the past two weeks, falling in a three-man playoff to J.B. Holmes last week at the Shell Houston Open.

“Having been so close last year and having a little experience and riding some momentum, I hope to put myself in contention and use what I've learned since last year,” Spieth said. “I think last year's event, I certainly took a couple things out of it, as well as the positives that came from closing out a couple of tournaments at the end of the year and a few weeks ago.

“… I’m looking to give myself a chance when the weekend comes around and see what I'm made of.”

Spieth has already received a thrill and some tips on the course this week.

Being a fellow University of Texas alum – Spieth was enrolled for three semesters before turning pro – he arranged a practice round Wednesday morning with Ben Crenshaw prior to the start of Crenshaw’s 44^th and final Masters.

“I knew I was going to play with Mr. Crenshaw, it was going to be the last practice round for the tournament, which was going to be special in itself,” Spieth said. “When Tiger and Joey came over on the range and asked if they could join us, we said bring it on. It was an unbelievable experience, something I won't forget. Getting to play with two legends of the game on the back nine of Augusta.”

In addition to the tips Spieth received from Crenshaw, his caddie, Michael Greller, has spoken at length with Crenshaw’s longtime Masters caddie Carl Jackson over the past two tournaments to devise strategies for the greens.

Spieth is largely a feel player who has already established himself as one of the better putters and short-game players in the game. He believes that developed as a result of playing as much or more than he practiced growing up.

“I was never a range rat,” he said. “I always felt like I got better playing. I would hit balls on the range to work on my swing and to see a few ball flights, and if I was hitting what I wanted, then we would go out on the course.

“Just playing rounds, you get different shots, different lies. The ball is above your feet, below your feet, thick rough, bunkers, whatever it is.”

Par-3 magic

The traditional Wednesday Par 3 contest on Augusta National’s nine-hole par-3 course provided some special moments.

Jack Nicklaus earned one more piece of hardware from Augusta National – one that he amazingly didn’t have yet.

Nicklaus made a hole in one on the 123-yard fourth hole, hitting an 8-iron over the flag into a mild breeze and watching as the ball rolled back into the cup. In an ESPN interview Wednesday morning, Nicklaus suggested that he might make an ace and/or win the par-3 contest.

“I’ve never had a hole in one at Augusta, the par-3 or on the golf course,” Nicklaus said. “I made a hole in one, had it 3 under for the par-3 and then choked. I didn’t finish up real well but we had a lot of fun.”

Nicklaus’ ace was one of five made Wednesday, which matched the Par 3 record set in 2002 and brought the total to 85 since the contest began in 1960. In addition to Nicklaus, others making aces were Matias Dominquez, Trevor Immelman and Camilo Villegas, who made two on the fourth and eighth holes.

The two aces got Villegas into a playoff for the title, but it wasn’t enough to win. He tied with Kevin Streelman at 5-under 22 and Streelman prevailed in a three-hole playoff.

No player has ever won the Par 3 contest and the Masters in the same year, but Streelman was willing to take on the supposed Par 3 curse because he had an additional purpose.

His caddie was a 13-year-old boy named Ethan Couch who has an inoperable brain tumor and Streelman fulfilled his wish to attend the Masters through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“This isn't about me today, it's about helping him out and showing him a great day,” said Streelman, who was coached for a couple years by Scott Shobe of the Greg Norman Champions Academy at Barefoot Resort.

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 10:13 PM with the headline "Masters notebook: Spieth returns to Augusta National with experience to draw from."