For Jordan Spieth, the Masters at Augusta is not just the most important tournament of the year; it’s a state of mind that he now brings to his hometown of Dallas. Sitting beneath the emblematic green-and-white umbrellas that define the landscape of Augusta National —this time at the AT&T Discovery District— the 2015 champion reflects on how his life has changed since, at just 21, he donned the Green Jacket.
For Spieth, the arrival of the tournament marks a seasonal and emotional shift. “It feels like the unofficial start of spring,” the golfer says, noting that, although it may already be warm elsewhere, “it really doesn’t count until, for one reason or another, the first week of April… you start seeing the tournament setups appear”. What began as a golf competition has become something deeper: “It’s a golf tournament as I see it, but it’s become much more”.
This year, his golf bag pays homage to one of Augusta‘s focal points: the Gran Roble (The Big Oak) behind the clubhouse. In a hyperconnected world, that tree remains an analogue refuge. “Without phones, you have to try to figure out where to meet like they used to… it’s where a lot of business happens, but it’s also simply where people gather,” he explains about the design of his gear for this edition
From youngster to veteran of the new generation
At 30, Spieth experiences a reality check watching the new talents on the PGA Tour. “I always felt like I was the youngest in the room for a long time… and now there really is a generation out there that’s like, ‘wow, I remember when I was your age’.” With amazement he asks, “How has so much time passed? It’s a wild situation”.
That veteran status shows even in practice rounds. Although the youngsters ask him for advice, Spieth still keeps his secrets under lock. “Some guys try to play practice rounds with me and I say, ‘Ok, ok, but you’re not going to get into Michael’s yardage book’,” he jokes about his caddie, Michael Greller. “It’s years and years of mapping things out… let’s give it another 8 to 10 years before we start opening that Pandora’s box”.
Family and the ‘chaos’ of the Par-3 Contest
Spieth‘s experience at Augusta has changed dramatically with the arrival of his wife Annie and their children Sammy, Sophie and Sully. The traditional Wednesday Par-3 Contest has turned into delightful chaos. “I used to play the Par-3; now, by the time I get to the first green I’m already disqualified. Someone has picked up the ball or hit a shot,” he admits with a laugh. Despite the disorder, he values these moments: “We try to make it feel like another week on the road, but then you have all these traditions that make it so different… it’s really great”.
Memories of 2015: shouts and champagne
Recalling his 2015 victory, Spieth describes the walk down the 18th with a four-shot lead as “the coolest walk ever in any place you can have in golf”. However, his competitive instinct kept him focused until the end: “My head was down, thinking ‘put it in the hole'”.
The real burst of joy happened after leaving the club. “I remember going down Magnolia Lane… I rolled down the window and started shouting as loud as I could, like a kid who just made the winning basket”. On arriving at his rental house, his friends greeted him with bottles of champagne, ignoring his agent’s concerns about the Green Jacket. “My agent was getting angry because the jacket was getting soaked… and I was saying, ‘I’m not taking the jacket off, the champagne is happening now'”. The result was a historic garment stained by celebration: “I think I wore it stained for two or three days”.
The secrets of the Champions Dinner
Spieth also shared fascinating details about the exclusive Champions Dinner. On his debut as host at 21, he opted for a traditional Texas barbecue because “the older guys want something simple… they don’t want to go crazy”. He admits he was terrified in that room: “I was super nervous because… I didn’t know what to say to these guys”. That night was particularly emotional for being Arnold Palmer‘s last: “My dinner turned out to be Arnold Palmer’s last… it was a very special dinner and there was a lot of talk about Arnold”.
On the current dynamics of the dinner, Spieth compares it to school years: “It’s like when you’re in primary school and you have a seating plan… then some teachers give you free seats and everyone ends up sitting practically in the same seat all year”. The space of legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods or the late Arnold Palmer is always respected
A taste of Texas in Augusta
It’s no coincidence that so many Masters champions (Crenshaw, Hogan, Nelson, Scheffler, Reed, Spieth) are Texans. Spieth believes it’s down to the terrain and the climate. “You play with the wind here, you play on Bermuda grass; that transfers well, I suppose… you need a bit more feel and imagination for the shots”.
To close, Spieth reveals his personal tournament favourites:
Favourite sandwich: “Pimiento cheese” (cheese with pepper)
Best champion’s menu: Hideki Matsuyama’s for his “Wagyu and Sushi”
Best place for a spectator: The hill where you can see the greens of 6 and 16
Ideal practice partner: Justin Thomas. “We grew up together… every time we’re out there playing practice rounds we think: ‘How cool is it that we’re doing this?'”
With his gaze on the future, Spieth admits he no longer sees his career as something endless: “When you start you think: ‘Oh, we’re going to be doing this for 30 years’… Well, now we’re halfway there”. For that reason, his focus now is to enjoy every moment under the umbrellas
