World No 2 Jordan Spieth cooled talk of a rivalry between himself and Northern Trust winner and world No 1, Dustin Johnson.
Spieth held a commanding lead going into the final round of last week’s first FedExCup playoff event, before Johnson held a lengthy par putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff.
The runaway world No 1 then produced a wonderful booming drive over the hazard on the first playoff hole, and dialled in his wedge to a few feet for the birdie and the win.
‘Dustin has played better golf than anybody over the last two years,’ said Spieth ahead of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston.
‘That’s why he’s No 1 in the world and he’s somebody, it’s pole position that I’m envious of and would like to get back to and would like to work hard to do what I can in the next few weeks to do so.’
Spieth then dismissed talk of a rivalry between the two leading candidates for Player of the Year.
‘As far as a rivalry, me and Dustin, no, I don’t think there is one. You know, I think here and there, you get these questions asked about rivalries and I’ve been asked about five different players if I have a rivalry with them. So obviously there isn’t a rivalry going on. It’s always a what-has-happened-recently that creates this maybe-it’s-a-rivalry scenario.
The two stars will lead the USA at the Presidents Cup at Liberty National at the end of the month, and captain Steve Stricker will be delighted to know there is not too much negative competition between the pair.
‘As far as it just being him, you know, we have a great relationship. I mean, I texted him that evening saying, “Man, congrats, that was a good battle, let’s do it again next week.”
‘He said, “Absolutely. I had a good time. That was my turn.” We understand the battles we have with each other. It’s no rivalry. It becomes a stressful fun, if that makes any sense, right. Your heart’s beating faster and your adrenaline is rushing and you’re trying to win a PGA TOUR playoff, a FedExCup Playoff event.’
Spieth will join Johnson and another contender for Player of the Year, Justin Thomas, for the first two rounds this week.
