FORT WORTH, Texas — You won't always hear this from Jordan Spieth:
"My goal today wasn't to win or go home."
The Dallas-native not as results oriented this weekend -- still playing to win, but also trying to continue his recent spate of solid play, focusing on the minutiae, like his putting.
Spieth made over 150 feet of putts in each of the the first two rounds. He wasn't nearly as productive with the flat stick on Sunday, but despite that, Spieth felt he putted just as well today as in recent days.
"I hit, I don't know, 6 or 7 lips today," Spieth noted, "and that happens."
It all added up to a 2-over 72 today -- good enough for a 5-under finish, tied for 8th. And Spieth liked what he saw from his full swing, as well.
"Yeah, I think I made progress this week," Spieth said, "and I know exactly what I need to work on before I start on Thursday, next week in my swing to make it even better."
Certainly most problematic for Spieth has been his tee shots -- ranked 192nd on tour in strokes gained off the tee. But he feels that, too, is turning the corner.
"I mean, I'd kind of been moving between a couple different swings, throughout this week, and the one I had today is the right move," Spieth said. "I've just got to get some repetitions in with it, to fine tune it, but it was the best I drove the ball for sure."
Of course, as is always the case with golf, belief is paramount.
"I didn't trust that I was doing it right, and so I'd get around my body nicely, but then I just have so much scar tissue with those going out to the right that I pull across 'em, but I don't need to anymore," Spieth said.
"So I'm actually better off than I thought I was. And it actually hurt me today, in a weird way."
The former world number one had fallen to 39th this year, and hadn't finished in the top 20 in an event before last week's PGA Championship.
But after a solid showing at the Nelson, a 3rd place finish at the PGA, and now a second consecutive Top 10 with his performance at Colonial, and it appears Spieth is starting to find something.
"Each week has gotten a little bit better this year," Spieth said. "I got pretty far off about this point last year in my swing, and my putting started to turn the positive way, but everything is moving the right direction. If I just stay out of my own way right now, just keep working hard, I'll have chances in the last couple groups a number of times the rest of the season, so I'm excited about that."
Spieth is now off to Jack Nicklaus' tournament, The Memorial, next week. Then the US Open two weeks later, as he continues his pursuit of his 4th Major Championship.