Former Europe Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has suggested that Jordan Spieth could be hampering his chances at The Open after choosing to play warm-up tournaments in the United States.
The 21-year-old is favourite to claim his third major in a row after world number one Rory McIlroy was forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury.
On Sunday, Spieth snatched a playoff win at the John Deere Classic in Illinois, while one of his competitors Rickie Fowler prepared for the St Andrews-hosted Open by winning the Scottish Open.
"Spieth has played St Andrews once, so is he going to work it out?" The Express quotes McGinley as saying. "Jordan played 63 holes of practice around Chambers Bay the week before the US Open. He was more prepared than anyone in the field.
"He had a caddie who used to caddie there and was married there. Are you telling me that wasn't the difference of one shot whether he won the US Open or not?
"I don't want to be critical of Jordan because I'm full of admiration for his sense of loyalty to sponsors who have been good to him the past. I admire that quality, but at the same time if you want to be really ruthless I believe you should, like tennis players do, be practising on the same surface you play in the major. He's not putting the odds in his favour, put it that way."
Spieth also won the Masters this year.
Danielle Joynson
