Singapore – World number one Jordan Spieth admitted he was guilty of rushing and not playing smart as he left himself a five-shot deficit to overhaul on the final day of the Singapore Open on Sunday.
The American double major winner sped through the closing holes of his third round at the weather-hit event on Saturday in a bid to avoid an early Sunday resumption, but his rapid play proved in vein as fading light halted proceedings on the 17th.
He returned to the Sentosa Golf Club at 7.30am on Sunday and his first shot was a missed par putt but he then managed to birdie the last to sign for a one-under-par 70 and six-under total, five adrift of leader Song Young-han (69).
“Very frustrating Friday and Saturday rounds just not making right decisions,” the 22-year-old Texan told reporters.
“I am just rushing myself, trying to do too much and trying to think this golf course is going to yield an eight-under like its nothing but it does not.
“So we are going to play the last round differently and take a lot of confidence off the finish today,” he added.
“I have got to hit as many greens in regulation as possible, I just have not done that. When I say greens in regulation I am going to hit it on the correct tiers as much as possible. I have been out of too many holes this week to get anything going.
“All it takes is a little bit of a spark, a little confidence with my ball striking to make sure I have got that distance control down and the putting will come.”
COLD PUTTER
Spieth started the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour season opening event with a four-under 67 but struggled to match that effort over the next two rounds with a cold putter largely at fault.
The Texan said he only had himself to blame for the number of efforts missed on a testing Saturday, when he played 28 holes after storms brought an early close to play on the opening two days.
“The greens are fantastic. I actually think they are very easy to putt, (but) tough where the pins are on different grain changes.
“So it will mess you up a little bit if you are trying to read too much into them, otherwise they just putt very straight.
“I over-read a lot of putts at the start (of the tournament) and I am going to try and be a little bit more aggressive with my putter as I try to dial other stuff back to make sure I am in position.”
Song, looking for a first tour title, also returned early on Sunday to finish his third round. The South Korean picked up three birdies against one bogey to shoot a 69 and sit two clear of Japan's Shintaro Kobayashi (69) on 11-under.
– REUTERS