Jordan Spieth believes world number one Dustin Johnson is the man to beat ahead of the year’s first Major next week, The Masters.
Spieth was on track to defend his Masters title last year, until a dramatic collapse which started at the short par 3 12th hole. The Texan’s slip allowed England’s Danny Willett to enter the elite band of players who have the green jacket hanging in the Augusta National winner’s locker room.
Johnson won the WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin last weekend for his third straight PGA Tour win. Since 1980, only Tiger Woods has won four consecutive PGA Tour events, but with the kind of form Johnson is heading to Georgia, he is the outright favourite to add to his Major collection.
‘I think Dustin Johnson is the guy to beat in golf, no matter where you are,’ Spieth said on Wednesday.
‘If I play my best golf, I believe that I can take down anybody, and you have to believe that.
‘But I think that he is the guy that everyone is saying he’s playing the best golf in the world right now.
‘Major championships have huge weight and I’m not focused on trying to win majors to get to number one anymore,’ added Spieth.
‘So, that side of things, getting number one, isn’t the pressure that I feel, but that’s the only way to really take big strides towards him because I don’t think he’s letting up any time soon.’
Johnson opted out of this week’s Shell Houston Open, citing fatigue.
The Masters starts on 6 April.
