Jordan Spieth delivered a candid reflection on his mindset during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February 2026, admitting he fell into a “bad kind of mental place” the previous week but has since reset and is channeling positive momentum at one of his favorite venues.
The three-time major champion opened up in interviews around the event—following a strong bogey-free 66 in the opening round at Spyglass Hill and a solid follow-up performance—addressing the missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open just days earlier. That result, his first at TPC Scottsdale since 2020 despite a historically strong track record there, stemmed from self-sabotage rather than technical flaws.
“I got in a bad kind of mental place Friday,” Spieth explained. “I was swinging it well, and I decided to tell myself I wasn’t. I just had a bad day.” He described the episode as a “fluke” and an anomaly, noting he played his final eight holes in 4-over par after convincing himself his swing was off despite evidence to the contrary. Spieth emphasized that the issue was purely mental, not physical, especially now that his surgically repaired left wrist—operated on in August 2024—is fully healed and pain-free.
Arriving in Pebble Beach shortly after, Spieth made a deliberate effort to shake off the negativity. He played a casual round with his brother on Sunday morning, hit balls over the weekend, and treated the week as a “pseudo-Phoenix” to rebuild confidence. By Thursday’s tee time, after weather-delayed practice days, he had achieved a full mental reset. “Things are better than what they seem there,” he said of the Phoenix setback. “That was just kind of a strange deal… It was just an off day and a week that is typically a really good one for me.”
The admission highlights Spieth’s ongoing battle to align his mind with his improved physical capabilities post-injury. With no lingering wrist pain and a swing he describes as “in a great spot,” the focus has shifted to consistency, face control under pressure, and trusting his preparation. His early strong showing at Pebble Beach—where he has a win (2017) and multiple top-10 finishes—suggests the reset is working, with solid putting inside 10 feet and creative recoveries keeping him in contention.
As Spieth continues through the signature event and builds competitive reps, his honest assessment serves as a reminder of the mental hurdles even elite players face. Free from excuses tied to injury, the 32-year-old appears poised to reclaim the consistency that once made him world No. 1, viewing Pebble as a springboard toward bigger things in 2026.
