Inspired by Rory, Spieth eyes career Grand Slam

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Rory McIlroy precocious suggested to Jordan Spieth that helium would beryllium the adjacent golfer to implicit the vocation Grand Slam astatine this week's PGA Championship, Spieth jokingly referred to Quail Hollow Club arsenic the "Country Club of Rory McIlroy."

McIlroy is the lone four-time victor of the Wells Fargo (now Truist) Championship astatine Quail Hollow, and he's among the favorites to triumph a Wanamaker Trophy, his third, aft yet capturing a greenish overgarment astatine Augusta National past month.

Spieth tin go the seventh golfer to execute the vocation Grand Slam if helium wins the PGA Championship. It volition beryllium his ninth effort to bash truthful since helium captured his astir caller large title triumph astatine the 2017 Open Championship astatine Royal Birkdale Golf Club successful England. He won the Masters and the U.S. Open successful 2015.

"There's been a fig of years I've travel to the PGA and nary one's truly asked maine astir it," Spieth said Tuesday during a quality league astatine Quail Hollow. "There's been immoderate years wherever it was a storyline, I guess. It's funny, I deliberation if Rory didn't [complete his vocation Slam astatine the Masters], past it wouldn't person been a storyline for maine present necessarily."

While McIlroy and satellite No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler are the betting favorites to triumph astatine Quail Hollow, this mightiness beryllium 1 of Spieth's champion chances, particularly since helium seems to person recovered from country successful August to repair a torn tendon sheath successful his near wrist.

Spieth said his post-surgery symptoms person been "less and less" arsenic the twelvemonth has gone on, though helium said his near wrist feels similar it's doubly the size of his close 1 for astir a half-hour each morning. Doctors told him that feeling would spell distant astir a twelvemonth aft surgery.

"It's hard to archer if it was preventing thing that I could oregon couldn't do, truthful I'm not going to accidental that it's everything," Spieth said. "But conscionable the easiness of not worrying astir it dislocating oregon subluxing, I deliberation is the word for this specific, is truly nice. Just disconnected the course, I'm capable to prime my kids up and propulsion them around, and my wrist doesn't dislocate. You tin ideate that's a bully feeling."

Spieth already has 3 apical 10s and six apical 25s successful 11 starts this season. He tied for 4th successful the WM Phoenix Open and was solo 4th astatine the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Last season, helium had 3 10s and 4 apical 25s successful 22 starts earlier shutting it down to get his near wrist fixed.

Spieth's past triumph connected circuit came astatine the 2022 RBC Heritage. He hasn't won successful his past 66 starts, the second-longest winless streak of his career.

"Anybody who's travel backmost from an injury, you privation to beryllium retired determination doing much and much and more," Spieth said. "It's not similar I was apical 5 successful the satellite past year, right? I felt similar I was going to beryllium coming from behind, and I wasn't capable to bash overmuch portion different guys were getting better. So [it's] conscionable a hard, hard process to beryllium diligent with, particularly for me."

Spieth's champion accidental to triumph a Wanamaker Trophy came successful 2015 erstwhile helium finished 2nd astatine Whistling Straits successful Wisconsin, 3 strokes down victor Jason Day. Four years later, helium tied for 3rd astatine Bethpage Black State Park successful New York but was six strokes down Brooks Koepka.

Spieth has finished extracurricular the apical 25 successful each of his past six starts successful the PGA Championship, including a necktie for 43rd past twelvemonth astatine Valhalla Golf Club successful Louisville, Kentucky.

"It's ever circled connected the calendar," Spieth said. "For me, if I could lone triumph 1 tourney for the remainder of my life, I'd prime this 1 for that reason. Obviously, watching Rory triumph aft giving it a effort for a fig of years was inspiring.

"You could archer it was a harder win. Most of the clip helium makes it look a batch easier, truthful that evidently was connected the forefront of his mind. Something similar that has not been done by galore people, and there's a crushed why. But I'd emotion to propulsion my chapeau successful the ringing and springiness it a accidental travel the play this week."