Jordan Spieth: “It’s harder than I expected”

• Jordan Spieth: Oakmont playing ‘harder than I expected’
• “It’s tough, really tough,” said the defending champion
• Spieth paired with Zach Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau

Jordan Spieth has given a frank assessment of how Oakmont is playing ahead of this week’s US Open, saying it’s ‘harder than I expected’.

Speaking after a practice round on Sunday, the defending champion seemed almost downbeat when explaining how it was playing to journalist Alex Miceli and is absolutely certain that an over par score will win the tournament.

“Even harder than I expected,” said Jordan Spieth. “I knew that it’d be harder than a month and a half ago but this is already well past US Open ready.

“Even with the pins today and the conditions that I played in last Sunday, certainly over par wins if it’s windy. So, it’s tough, really tough. Got to stay in the fairway and have a lot of discipline.”

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Jordan Spieth talks about how Oakmont has changed since he was here last month. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/qNlbi1Bt1e

— Alex Miceli (@alexmiceli) June 12, 2016

Spieth is third favourite to defend his US Open title behind Jason Day and Rory McIlroy, but according to nine-time major winner Gary Player, he sees the American as the favourite for the event.

Speaking at Royal Troon on Thursday, the 80-year-old said: “It was very interesting at the Masters this year. You had Rory McIlroy swinging the club beautifully, Jason Day playing beautifully and Jordan Spieth played very badly, as he himself said – he had his B game. He got a seven on a par-3, and still beat both of them.

“In golf, all you hear from commentators is how far they hit the ball but 70% of golf is played from 100 yards in. Golf is about the mind, but it isn’t about long drives, which we’ve been brainwashed about. Nobody putts anywhere near like Jordan Spieth. He’s as good around the green as anyone that ever lived.”

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Jordan Spieth :: Can he defend US Open title?

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