Spieth: Negativity is ‘a bit unfair’

Jordan Spieth feels the questions over his form in 2016 are unfair, and that people are being too negative in their assessment of him.
Despite two wins and seven top-10 finishes, the American hasn't been able to blow away his competitors in the same way as he managed last year, and he has also suffered some bitter disappointments, such as his capitulation in the final round of the Masters back in April.
By most metrics Spieth is still enjoying a fair bit of success, but it often doesn't feel that way because of the pressure he gets put under by the media.
“It’s been tough given I think it’s been a solid year and I think had last year not happened I’d be having a lot of positive questions,” Spieth said after his third-round 72 at The Open on Saturday.
“Instead, most of the questions I get are comparing to last year and, therefore, negative because it’s not to the same standard.
“So that’s almost tough to then convince myself that you’re having a good year when nobody else really – even if you guys think it is, the questions I get make me feel like it’s not.
“So I think that’s a bit unfair to me, but don’t feel sorry for me. I’ll still be OK. But I would appreciate if people would look at the positives over comparing to maybe hopefully what would happen to me a few times in my career, a year like last year.”
Spieth might not have been a real contender at the Open this year, but he still has several chances to turn his season around, with the PGA Championship, FedEx Cup and Ryder Cup still to come.
While his putting is still very solid, he admits it doesn't always come to the party.
“As good as my putting has been this year, which is pretty much the same standard as last year, it just wasn’t there this week,” Spieth said. “If it’s there this week and I’m on the right end of the draw, I’m hitting it well enough to be at or really near the lead.”
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