American sensation Jordan Spieth has regrettably ruled out contesting next year’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Gullane as well as confirmed he’s turned Rory McIlroy down in contesting the 2015 Irish Open.
Spieth jumped to No. 9 in the world on the back of his stunning 10 shot victory in the Tiger Woods hosted Hero World Challenge.
The 21-year Dallas-born Spieth ended only his second full season in the pro ranks with a second straight success and just a week after capturing the Australian Open in Sydney.
It was Spieth’s third pro career victory and matched McIlroy’s accomplishment earlier this year of winning back-to-back on two different continents with McIlroy winning The Open in Scotland and then capturing the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in his next event in Ohio.
Jordan Spieth rules out contesting the 2015 Scottish Open and also 2015 Irish Open.
And Spieth has now won three pro career wins in a quicker time frame than McIlroy who took just under four years to win his third event at the 2011 US Open.
But Spieth’s decision not to contest the 2015 Scottish Open means Scotland golf fans will only get to see Spieth once in Britain next year and that’s when he tees up in the July 16th commencing Open Championship at St. Andrews.
“I’d love to be contesting the Scottish Open next year but once again it clashes with the John Deere Classic here on the PGA Tour,” he said.
“I won the John Deere last year and it was my first Tour victory and besides it’s a pretty tricky time of year schedule wise and I feel somewhat obliged to play the event even if means missing out on getting some links course experience heading into the Open.
“I would have loved to play Royal Aberdeen this year as the television pictures looked great but I’m sure there will be plenty more opportunities for me to play in Scotland in my career.
“But then I will be at St. Andrews and I remember visiting there in 2011 during the Walker Cup and walking through the R & A clubhouse and seeing a painting of royalty playing there in about 1705 or something, and thinking to myself American was founded in 1776, so that’s pretty amazing.”
And Spieth has had to say ‘No’ to World No. 1 McIlroy who was hoping to get Spieth to contest the Irish Open being staged straight after the flagship BMW PGA Championship and in the final week of May.
“Rory approached me about playing the Irish Open but once again I had to say to him I can’t go play in Ireland as I am contesting the Byron Nelson Championship that same week in Dallas, and that’s my home town,” said Spieth.
“I’m again going to play all four events in Texas next year so I’ve had so to Rory I can’t make it to the Irish Open.”
