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'That was the low point': Jordan Spieth's trainer Damon Goddard bounces back from life-altering diagnosis

Jordan Spieth is on the comeback trail in 2020. He's not the only one.

DALLAS — Jordan Spieth was on top of the golf world.

Over the course of four years, he won 10 tournaments including three majors: the 2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open and 2017 Open Championship.

However, Spieth is winless since that thrilling victory over Matt Kuchar at Royal Birkdale.

Plagued by inaccuracy off the tee and struggles with the putter, the 26-year-old hasn't won in almost three years.

"For me, progressing off the tee is huge," Spieth admitted after the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge last Sunday. "That's where I've really needed the most work."

The Dallas native found something at Colonial last weekend though, as he spent stretches of the weekend atop the leaderboard before finishing tied for 10th at -11.

"To have a chance [to win] on Sunday for the first time in almost two years, to be within one or two strokes of the lead on a Sunday, I feel very good moving forward," Spieth asserted.

One of the men behind Spieth's historic rise from 2013-2017, and his improved play as of late, is trainer Damon Goddard.

Goddard, who works with a variety of athletes from golfers to basketball players, has worked with Spieth since 2008.

"As a father of two, as a business owner, as someone I would hope influences a lot of athletes as well, self-care was probably the last thing I focused on even though I preach it," Goddard told WFAA sports reporter Jonah Javad back in March.

Self-care came to the forefront last November.

"On Thanksgiving Day, I had emergency surgery," Goddard said. "Honestly, that was the low point."

 Surgeons had to remove 10 inches from Goddard's large intestine, due to perforation.

"Thankfully for the surgeons and the swift nature of what they were doing, it really helped save my life," he acknowledged.

Goddard made a full recovery and is now taking advantage of the mulligan life gave him.

"The most important things to me are family, my two boys, connectivity with friends, family, my athletes," Goddard explained. "And making sure I have a pulse on helping other people as well."

Safe to say, Jordan Spieth isn't the only member of his team on the comeback trail in 2020.

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