Spieth gets all the tough questions

Aussie kids have star grappling for answers

Jordan Spieth must have thought he answered all the tough questions during a 30-minute media conference on Tuesday that had to be cut off by Australian Open organizers.

The most prying questions, though, came a few hours later from a group of about 60 children during a junior clinic on the range at The Australian Golf Club, where Spieth will open play on Thursday in defense of his 2014 title.

After discussing Australian sports - including cricket - with the youngsters, Spieth appeared perplexed when asked what type of ball he uses.

"Cricket ball?" he asked initially, then realized they wanted to know the type of golf ball he plays with.

That warmed him up for the next question, from a boy of about 11 or 12, who asked: "Do you believe in God, or do you believe in science?"

Without batting an eye, but with a smile at the surprising tone of the question, he answered: "God." He then added: "That sure was an interesting one."

Asked at the media conference how he enjoyed playing two of the famed sand belt courses in Melbourne on the weekend before he came to Sydney, he was careful not to rank Royal Melbourne or Kingston Heath over one another "because that won't go over so well ... yeah, it was certainly one of the last couple of places on the bucket list to play golf".

Which could have begged another question: How does a 22-year-old have a bucket list?

Spieth still has fond memories of last year's closing course-record 63 in brutal conditions at The Australian that gave him a six-shot win over a field that included Adam Scott.

"I just stayed very patient and played one of the best rounds I've ever played in my life when I really needed it," Spieth said.

Last year when he won in Sydney, he promised to return to defend his title. But Australian organizers were understandably nervous throughout most of this year after Spieth won the Masters, US Open, the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup.

No need to worry - there was never any doubt he would return Down Under, calling Australia "my favorite place I've ever traveled to to play golf", and saying it was a "no-brainer coming back".

Spieth and Scott will be joined by 1997 Australian Open champion Lee Westwood, 2011 British Open champion Darren Clarke and former Australian champions Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden and Greg Chalmers.

Also in the field is Champions Tour regular Peter Senior, the 2012 Australian Open champion and who won last week's Australian Masters at the age of 56.

Despite calling Senior's win "really inspiring", Spieth has no plans to be still hitting a small white ball at that age.

"I think when I'm 56 I may be on a beach somewhere ... where nobody knows where I am," he said.

Olympics starter

Spieth and Scott have distinctly different excitement levels over next year's Rio Olympics golf tournament.

While both agree a team competition would have been nice, Scott is not very enthused and said he will go if he can fit it into his schedule. However, Spieth said count him in unless he is injured or, by some miracle, the world's top-ranked golfer fails to qualify.

Spieth said he considers golf's return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 like a major and plans to be among the four-man American team in the 60-man field.

Last week at the Australian Masters, Scott, who is in line for Olympic selection for Australia alongside Jason Day, showed little interest in packing his bags for Brazil.

"I've been pretty open and outspoken that it's not really a priority of my scheduling next year, which is based around the majors. And if the Olympics fits in then it does," Scott said. "There is a gap in the schedule there ... some time off looks quite good, actually."

He also said he felt Olympic organizers should have been "a little more creative than a little 72-hole stroke-play event".

"Just competing in the Olympics, just walking the opening ceremony, staying in the village and doing whatever it is, meeting these incredible athletes from around the world, hopefully that's something I'll be able to experience next August," said Spieth.

Spieth likes to compare those majors with a potential victory at Rio.

"Winning a gold medal has got to be up there now in my mind with winning a major championship," he said.

"I've been asked the question: a green jacket or a gold medal, or a Wanamaker Trophy (the PGA Championship) or an Open Championship or a gold medal?

"That's not fair. I think this year we're going to approach it as a fifth major and we're going to prepare like it is and I'm going to go down there and try to take care of business."

He shares Scott's disappointment with the fact no team event will be contested, although it's possible it could be added for Tokyo in 2020.

"It's not a team event, unfortunately," Spieth said. "But it's going to be very difficult. You've got some great Aussies that will be down there, you've got Englishmen, you've got your own countrymen that you're trying to beat."