Jordan Spieth says he 'tried too hard' in 2016

Published Dec. 9, 2016 12:20 p.m. ET

Nick Schwartz

For most professional golfers, winning two PGA Tour events and more than $5.5 million in prize money would be a career-defining year. For Jordan Spieth, it felt like a disappointment.

Spieth, who only just turned 23 this summer, had one of the best individual years since Tiger Woods was in his prime in 2015 - but after winning two majors and flirting with a potential Grand Slam that year, expectations were set outrageously high for 2016. Spieth got off to a hot start in January, winning the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, but despite picking up a second victory later in the year, his season will be remembered for the heartbreaking collapse at Amen Corner that cost him the Masters. He missed the cut at the Players in his next event and failed to contend in the remaining three majors, falling from No. 1 to No. 5 in the world rankings.

Now in Sydney for the Australian Open this weekend, Spieth reflected on his up-and-down 2016.

Via ESPN:

"I got myself into position early on this year, I mean Hawaii was a better performance than any of the ones in [2015]. And then the Masters, I got myself into position there, a couple of swings away from another major and then, where else, Colonial, winning the way we did there was a lot of fun, too.

"So it was just the second half of the year where I would say I maybe tried just a bit too hard, didn't let it come to me, was getting a little frustrated with the lack of first-place finishes; I guess, even though if you win five times a year from the amount of time I expect to be on tour, I'll have more than Tiger [Woods]. So it's unrealistic."