Tiger Woods still has some time to save a wasted year

Europe entered the final day of the Ryder Cup with a four-point lead. On Sunday, in singles, it continued its long streak of dominance at home, defeating the Americans.

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GolfWRX.com: Do you make any bounce changes to your wedges to prepare for Augusta, in particular? JORDAN SPIETH: I don’t. I don’t change anything for Augusta. I don’t change anything regardless if I’m on soft sand, firm sand, if I’m on bentgrass, or really grainy Bermuda. I’ve learned to pitch on grainy Bermuda, meaning I drive the ball into the ground. I don’t use bounce, so I have very little on my 60-degree. Even out of a bunker, I try to enter the club really close to the ball so it doesn’t make a difference if it’s firm or soft to me. It’s a technique thing. If it’s off, it’s not the bounce of the wedge. GolfWRX.com: With your wedges, you would say you use the leading edge rather than the bounce? JORDAN SPIETH: I drive the ball into the ground. If I need loft, I get it down there and create the loft late into the ball, but I’m never hitting the ground first unless I have to. GolfWRX.com: So you haven’t made any true club changes in a while, except for changing into the SM9s this year? JORDAN SPIETH: I have the SM9’s, and then my 60-degree is a prototype that they make special. The only equipment changes I make are going to a driving iron versus a hybrid, depending on where I’m playing. I assume this year, as Augusta has gotten longer, it’s going to be a hybrid. I’ve played both at Augusta before, but the hybrid’s been better for me just because those par 5’s are sitting right at hybrid length into those greens. GolfWRX.com: I noticed a lot of you use a WedgeWorks proto for your 60-degree. What’s different about that wedge, and is that something you guys fit into at TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) in Oceanside, or where does that wedge come from? JORDAN SPIETH: I have done testing at Oceanside. That’s obviously an easy way to test a bunch of different grinds, looks and lofts, because they have so many out there and it’s a great facility. But we also have access to pretty much all of it week-to-week out here. To be honest, we’re very spoiled in that sense. I changed wedge grinds – I can’t even remember when it was, but it was years and years ago – to the T-grind. That was just because when I opened it up, it looked even cleaner and flush to the ground to me. We have access to Aaron Dill here on TOUR who’s our Vokey rep. He’s so good. He brought me an SM9 60-degree today, and I said, “It looks a little different than mine. Can you get me one of the other ones and I’ll compare and contrast?” He said, “I can weld this one down and make it look like your other one, and also make a backup of one you already have.” It’s normally no issue for us to find something we like. GolfWRX.com: That’s a little bit different than the access the rest of us have… Jordan Spieth: Well, we also wear ‘em out a lot faster. GolfWRX.com That’s because you actually practice! Thanks for the time, Jordan. Play well this week. This week, Jordan Spieth is defending the Valero Texas Open title that he won last year to end a winless drought that was nearing four years. The Valero Texas Open has a unique place in this season’s schedule, as it’s the final test before the Masters. Ahead of Spieth’s Valero title defense, we caught up with the 2015 Masters and FedExCup champ to pick his brain about equipment. Spieth discussed his replacements for a driver that recently cracked, any changes he makes for Augusta National and more. Read below for GolfWRX.com’s gear Q&A with Spieth. GolfWRX: You’ve obviously been making a lot of swing changes and are still working hard on your swing. I’m wondering if you’ve coupled that with any gear changes to adjust, such as lie angle, loft, shafts, etc.? JORDAN SPIETH: I haven’t. I cracked my driver at THE PLAYERS. I’m somebody (with) really low spin, and as drivers continue to be more and more low spin, I’ve messed around with a couple different loft changes and settings. I’m trying to get a (Titleist TSi3) driver head to produce like the one that I had for the last year, which was really, really solid. I’m looking to get enough spin without overspinning. So that’s been the challenge right now. But no, the rest of the bag has felt really good. Launch conditions have felt really nice. I just change wedges this time of year. Get some fresh ones in as we get into the spring, but nothing with any kind of launch or lies.

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No matter his health, age and competitive rust, if you’ve been predisposed to elevated expectations during any of Tiger Woods’ returns to official competition, you’re probably going to get what you want this week. Never mind the 42-year-old’s otherworldly record at the Farmers Insurance Open and at Torrey Pines overall – although it sure doesn’t hurt – he’s poised to prove that the uncertainty of the condition of his back is in the past. As it concerns what the field of 156 is facing at the Farmers, this is the second edition post-redesign of the North Course at Torrey Pines. Continue reading beneath the ranking for details on how it played last year, what might be a new narrative as it concerns both courses and other relevant nuggets. My goodness. Any concern over his first-time duties as a defending champion is mitigated by his perspective and maturity. He’s the total package performing at his highest level yet. Couldn’t ask for better form as he aims to avenge last year’s T4 after sitting atop the leaderboard at the midpoint. Three wins in the last three months baked into 10 straight top 10s. Essentially built for Torrey Pines where he’s gone T24-T18-T4 since 2015. Eighteen consecutive cuts made, has three top 20s this season and ranks ninth in adjusted scoring. First time in four years he hasn’t jetlagged from Abu Dhabi on eve of Farmers (T61-MC-MC since 2015). Rested since a T4 at Kapalua that chased a Mayakoba runner-up and Hero win. The two-time runner-up at Torrey Pines (2010, 2014) has a win among five top 10s worldwide in his last eight starts. Added a T20 here last year after sitting T5 through 54 holes. Doesn’t have the most inspiring record at the Farmers (2-for-4 with one top 30), but he’s a constant threat. This is evident in his recent form: four top fives in his last five starts. If there’s going to be a best time to push the reset button, it’s right now. First start since a solo fifth in Australia in late November. Went T9-T2-Win at Torrey Pines from 2013-2015. Launched into 2018 with a quietly strong T7 at Waialae that featured a balanced attack. He’s 8-for-8 at the Farmers with top 20s in three of the last four editions. First action since a solo eighth at the Hero World Challenge that capped a strong but winless 2017. One of only five with four red numbers in last year’s Farmers (T14). Fourth straight week on the road, but he’s used to it. Top-10 streak ended with a T20 at CareerBuilder, but he placed a personal-best T9 in is fifth appearance at last year’s Farmers. Making his season debut and probably as eager as ever. Since a T7 at the Wyndham in August, he added four top 15s, including a T2 at the DP World. Also 3-for-3 here with two top 15s. Already the 24-year-old’s fourth appearance; only cut made was a T33 last year. Power and precision off the tee have produced seven straight top 20s, including a win in December. First appearance since his debut in 2013. Has done nothing but impress since returning to action nearly 12 months ago. Has a win and a pair of T15s already this season. Might have some Swiss blood in him because he’s as reliable as the best timepiece. Perfect in 15 trips with three runners-up (2005, 2007, 2017) among seven top 10s. T20 last week. Still has unfinished business at Torrey Pines since the disappointing P2 in 2012, but he’s been performing well of late and where he has in the past. Top 25s here in 2016 and 2017. RANK PLAYER COMMENT POWER RANKINGS: FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN I’ll break from protocol and announce early that Tiger Woods will be the Wild Card. You’ll find my extended analysis on him, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Peter Uihlein, CareerBuilder Challenge runner-up Andrew Landry and other notables in the Fantasy Insider on Tuesday. Tipping at 7,698 yards, Torrey Pines South is the longest course on the PGA TOUR. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the hardest tracks that membership faces. It was the most difficult par 72 just two seasons ago. Tight fairways guarded by tough, rye-kikuyu rough no shorter than three inches inflicts damage on scorecards. However, an interesting thing happened last year. The South Course averaged “just” 72.766 to establish a four-year low. Meanwhile, in its first spin after Tom Weiskopf’s overhaul, the par-72 North Course yielded a stingy 71.277 for an eight-year high. That was in part due to unfamiliarity overall, weather (see below), 206 additional yards (for a total of 7,256) and brand-new bentgrass putting surfaces (albeit 40 percent larger). Torrey South features Poa annua greens. Every golfer plays one round on the North before the 36-hole cut. Only the South is used in the third and final rounds, but the difference of about one-and-a-half strokes between the two is more than two strokes lower than the 2016 Farmers (3.57). In fact, the gap ranged well over three strokes in each of the previous three editions. Gusty winds in the second round that inflated scoring a year ago can’t be ruled out during the first two rounds this week. Furthermore, heavy air created by chilly daytime temperatures will lengthen all 36 holes, so both courses will be well-defended by the elements. Still, the objective for would-be contenders remains to capitalize on the North. Jon Rahm carded a 69 on Torrey North in the second round en route to last year’s title. Interestingly and probably coincidentally, each of the last seven champions rotated to the North for the second round. Brandt Snedeker’s 70 in 2016 is the highest score on the easier test by a winner in any of the last 11 editions. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Columnist Rob Bolton will be filing his usual staples leading up to this week’s event. Look for the following columns this week. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider, Facebook Live WEDNESDAY: One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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