The soundtrack to Jordan Spieth’s final practice round before Thursday’s start of the British Open featured raindrops falling on umbrellas and cameras clicking on his backswing.
One noise was welcome; the other was not. At Spieth’s behest, Michael Greller, his caddie, asked the scrum of photographers at the fourth tee Wednesday afternoon to refrain from taking pictures in the middle of Spieth’s swing.
Spieth then stepped up and hit his ball to a chorus of clicks. As soon as he lifted his head on his follow-through, he asked Greller with a rueful laugh, “How’d that work out?”
With Rory McIlroy, the reigning champion and world No. 1 from Northern Ireland, sidelined with a sprained left ankle, the spotlight this week at the Old Course falls directly on Spieth, the winner of the year’s first two majors.
Spectators want a glimpse of him, fans want an autograph, photographers want candid shots, reporters want sound bites, and everyone wants to know if Spieth can keep alive his quest to become the first player in the modern era to win all four majors in the same calendar year.
Since arriving here Monday from the United States, fresh off his playoff victory at the John Deere Classic, Spieth has come across as oblivious to the sensation caused by his results. He has 13 top-10 finishes, including six wins, in his past 19 starts dating back to Nov. 30.
Before Spieth’s turn came to speak Wednesday, others weighed in on his tee times, his strategy and his prospects for winning a third consecutive major. He was gently criticized for not traveling here to compete in the Scottish Open or squeeze in extra practices on the Old Course, which he had played once before this week. He was breezily advised to play practice rounds with veterans of the tournament, the better to pick their brains about the course’s quirks. He was amiably informed that his starting wave figures to get the worst of the week’s foulest weather and that, basically, he has not seen anything yet, weather-wise.
Spieth, 21, made plain that all the background noise has not escaped him. He offered rejoinders in a manner so mild and so respectful, his targets might not have been aware his answers were about them.