Wednesday 25 April 2018 19:02, UK
Jordan Spieth is hoping to use his Masters performance as a springboard for the rest of the year as he chases a first win of the season at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
The three-time major champion is without a victory since lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale in July, with Spieth struggling for form on his way to a missed cut at the Valspar Championship and an early exit from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Spieth bounced back with a tied-third finish at the Houston Open, before a stunning final-round 64 at Augusta National saw him grab third and get within two shots of winner Patrick Reed.
"Yeah, I think I've got on the right path," Spieth told a pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday. "I was working on things throughout the year thinking I was doing the right thing.
"I finally feel like I got the short game back on track in Houston and Augusta. To hit some of those putts under pressure and see some go in I think will be very beneficial going forward this year.
"It very well could be a spark for a really solid year. I'm very pleased after the last couple tournaments I played and where I've come from the month prior to that."
Spieth will partner Ryan Palmer in the two-man team event at TPC Louisiana, where the format sees teams play foursomes for the first and third rounds and as a fourball for second and final rounds.
"We've played a lot practice rounds together going back the last few years, so we know each other's games," Spieth added. "This event for guys is a really nice kind of breath of fresh air where you feel like you can go out and there are no world ranking points.
"You obviously want to get in contention with FedExCup points on the line, but it's an opportunity to just go out and be in a different space than normal; have a little bit more fun.
"We're pretty excited about the changes in the format with flipping a day and having alternate shot the last day. You can be four or five behind and certainly still in it in an alternate shot format, but in best ball it's probably too difficult to overcome."
Watch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday with Featured Groups on Sky Sports Golf.
