2016 Australian Open: Jordan Spieth reflects on Phil Hughes, talks global golf and Dallas Cowboys

Jordan Spieth loves coming back to play in Australia and chatted to the media ahead of the Australian Open at Royal Sydney this week.

It’s easy to forget Jordan Spieth is only 23-years-old. Despite the fact he has been winning golf tournaments (including two majors) for over three years now, Spieth is a statesman for the game, wise beyond his years and one of the most engaging players in golf.

In his first media conference since landing back in Australia, Spieth chatted about his love for playing for golf fans around the world, his thoughts on the stellar form of the Dallas Cowboys and he recalled the tragic death of Phil Hughes while reminiscing on his majestic final round 63 at the 2014 Australian Open.

“It was a really great feeling. I remember having the trophy on the stage after the round, what an incredible trophy it is. I see it every day when I walk into my house,” Spieth said.

“It was a tremendous honour and 63 being even more significant – Phil Hughes, yeah. So, I know that, kind of ironic I guess, that day, because I think it was the week after there was some significance there too.”

Spieth is clearly not here for a holiday. Coming off a six-week break, the world number five has honed a few swing tweaks in the off-season and wants to build momentum for the coming year with another Australian Open victory.

Here are a few more highights from an engaging press conference:

On playing golf around the world:

“I think it’s really cool to be in an opportunity to be 23 years old and travel around the world playing golf and people want you to come play golf around the world so they can see it.

That’s a unique position to be in and I enjoy totally that those opportunities are there, because time off the golf course is totally different from what you see at home, and why not, if you have the opportunity when you’re young, to go travel around the world and experience these cultures?

That kind of shapes you as a person too, recognising in your little bubble at home, that’s not the way the world is. You can kind of see and put things in perspective a little bit on where I live, where other people live, their cultures, their religion, their politics, whatever it may be.”

On the Dallas Cowboys:

“I’ve been quieter on social media this year about it, I’ve been kind of just like, just let them do their thing and come Super Bowl time, go through the process and make it there, then we can go nuts.

Most people aren’t Cowboys fans I realised. I’ll just keep it to myself, but great problem to have, but really, just so much fun. It’s great, when the Cowboys are playing well, the city of Dallas is just rocking.”

And on Royal Sydney:

“Hitting the fairways is probably the hardest part out here. That’s the difference in here and the Australian, is visually it just looks so much tighter. The Australian, you kind of have room if you want to start the ball way out.

With the wind here, you’ve really got to almost hold the wind more. I think it can be much more difficult to hit greens in regulation here, but if you get it onto the right tiers, you can have a shorter length for birdies.”

And on his brother’s success in college basketball and being asked that he may not be the best person in the family from inside 15-feet:

“At least I’m better from outside 15 feet.”