Former school teacher Michael Greller had a close-up view of a golfing masterclass as he watched Jordan Speith romp to victory at the Masters on Sunday, though the 21-year-old needed little input from his caddy of three years.
“For the most part it’s just stay out his way, because he’s one of the best players in the world and the last thing I need to do is screw it up for him,” Greller told reporters after Spieth clinched the green jacket at Augusta National.
“He told me the first week I ever caddied for him (that) in the past he’s relied too much on his caddies. I think less is more as a caddie.
“Being a sixth-grade teacher is huge with a kid out here, because you’re going to have ups-and-downs. I always try to encourage him.”
Greller, a keen poker player, told Spieth before the final round he was holding a pair of metaphorical aces and should let the others take the big risks.
Speith, however, failed to heed that advice on the par-five 13th where he held a four-shot lead and instead of laying up before the water guarding the green with his second shot, he went for the pin with a five iron.
“He likes to go at pins still. Fortunately we got away with it,” Greller said, revealing that what to viewers may have looked like a perfect shot was actually somewhat of a mishit.
“If you lay up there, then you’re not playing the course. He’s got adrenaline, a help wind. Even if he missed it, his carry number with a five-iron is 205.
“He kind of missed it and it still (landed on the green). Obviously we were trying to go left of that line.”
Greller also said that the disappointment of finishing runner-up at the Masters last year was turned into a positive.
“I think that was probably the best thing that happened to us, not winning it.
“There wasn’t a rock bottom. We had a great week. Under the circumstances, we all saw it as a positive and didn’t beat ourselves up too much over it.
“For Jordan, winning the Masters I don’t think is his ultimate goal.
“It’s a nice feather certainly in his cap, but knowing Jordan, how grounded and humble it is, I think he’s going to savor it but it’s not the ultimate.”
