Jordan Spieth targets US Tour win before the Open Championship

Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler prepare by playing the Scottish Open at Gullane

Jordan Spieth will contest the John Deere Classic, the first PGA Tour title he won in 2013 in Illinois. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA
Jordan Spieth will contest the John Deere Classic, the first PGA Tour title he won in 2013 in Illinois. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

Jordan Spieth, who has honoured his commitment to play in the John Deere Classic, is halfway towards an unprecedented calendar Grand Slam following his wins at Augusta National and Chambers Bay, but will arguably not have the ideal preparation for next week's Open Championship.

The world number two will only arrive in St Andrews on Monday morning on a charter flight and has played just once before on the Old Course.

Fellow Americans Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Jimmy Walker are all playing in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at nearby Gullane this week, while Spieth contests the first PGA Tour title he won in 2013 in Illinois.

Prepare

Mickelson won the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart in 2013 before claiming the Open at Muirfield a week later, but the 45-year-old said: “I think each player has to find out how to prepare their best to play their best, and it’s different for everybody. For me personally, I like to play the week before. I like to come over here and get acclimated to the time.

READ SOME MORE

Spieth has been using a simulator in his Dallas home to gain some experience of playing the Old Course, but said he gave little thought to changing his travel plans.