Spieth excited for Travelers Championship

Jordan Spieth is making his Travelers Championship debut this week and the former world number one is excited about the hype he keeps hearing.

Two-time major champion Spieth is among a star-studded field which will compete at TPC River Highlands, including Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.

And Spieth is relishing the opportunity as he looks to bounce back after his T35 at the U.S. Open last week.

“I’ve heard unbelievable things about this tournament,” Spieth said Wednesday. “I’ve watched it, I’ve watched the exciting last seven holes where anything can happen, and that’s always fun for us.

“When you get opportunities to make birdies or even make a couple eagles on a nine-hole stretch with just hitting good, solid shots, you can come back from anywhere. It’s also a lot more exciting because you have to play aggressive, and I think that that’s something that if I’m forced to do, helps us.”

After three rounds of struggling at Erin Hills last week, Spieth found something in his game during the final round, firing a three-under 69. He is ready to keep his foot on the gas in Connecticut, starting Thursday.

“You can’t really make too many mistakes here,” Spieth said. “At the U.S. Open you can make a couple mistakes and get away with it here. Bogeys drop you down. So don’t try to force it and just believe that the putter’s going to get there if I give myself enough chances.

“It’s kind of stepping away from having to have it go in and more just I’m going to give myself enough putts to where they have to eventually.”

Spieth, like the rest of the golf world, was shocked when Phil Mickelson and Jim “Bones” Mackay announced their mutual split.

He even jokingly made his own caddie Michael Greller sweat a little bit.

“I never thought Bones would be back on the market, ” Spieth said. “I tease Michael about that. No, I mean, I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to either one. Bones was with us last week walking a few holes in the practice round. Would have never guessed it, but it’s none of my business as well.

“But in relating it to me and Michael, man, we’ve been through a lot. He’s been there, my number one guy that’s been through everything, every stage that we’ve gone through on course and has seen every shot, pretty much, except the Colonial when he tapped out.

“But he’s done an incredible job. I believe that he’s one of the best in the world at what he does, and I think it’s extremely useful, helpful, and an advantage for me to have him on the bag. So, no I hadn’t even thought about any other scenario.”