JORDAN SPIETH is aiming to become the youngest ever player to win a career Grand Slam… but he insists Rory McIlroy is the man to beat.
The American ace, 24, can trump the likes of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus at the tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina this week.
However, he claims he feels no pressure, as Northern Irish star McIlroy is the favourite to win.
World No2 Spieth, the 2015 Masters and US Open champion, could become only the sixth man to sweep the four major titles in a career.
He would join illustrious names Nicklaus, Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.
But on his record-breaking bid, Spieth calmly claimed: “Do I have to be the youngest? No, I don’t feel that kind of pressure.
“Would it be really cool? Absolutely.
“There won’t be added expectations or pressure. I just don’t feel it.
Five who've won golf's Grand Slam
Tiger Woods
Woods, 41, has been ruled out of action with a back injury, and doubts remain that he will ever be the force he once was.
He has won has 14 major titles – four Masters, four USPGAs, three US Opens and three Opens.
Woods completed the grand slam aged 24 by winning the 2000 Open at St Andrew’s.
He appeared destined to eclipse Nicklaus’ record of 18 major wins but has not won one since the US Open in 2008.
Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus won his first major title in 1962 at the US Open at Oakmont via an 18-hole playoff victory over Arnold Palmer.
The Golden Bear completed the grand slam with a one-stroke victory in the 1966 Open at Muirfield.
Nicklaus, 77, won his last title in the 1986 at the Masters at the age of 46 and he was also runner-up in a major on 19 occasions during his glittering career.
His amazing record includes six Masters, five USPGAs, four US Opens and three Opens.
Ben Hogan
Hogan was 40 when he completed his slam by winning the only Open he ever played in 1953 at Carnoustie.
That same year he also won the Masters and US Open, where he produced a ruthless performance to achieve a wire-to-wire victory.
Hogan, whose career was hit by a car accident, won nine majors – four US Opens, the Masters and USPGA twice each, and The Open once.
Hogan died aged 84 in 1997.
Gary Player
Player, a nine-time major championship winner, completed the slam aged 29 in the 1965 US Open at Bellerive, the only time he won the event.
The 81-year-old South African is the only non-American on the list and claimed the third leg of the career slam in 1962 at the PGA Championship only a year after winning his first major in 1961.
It was a further ten major starts before he secured the fourth leg of the major championships.
He won his first major title at the 1959 British Open and his last at the 1978 Masters.
Gene Sarazen
Sarazen, a seven-time major winner, first won a major at the 1922 US Open as a 20-year-old.
He completed the slam aged 33 by winning the Masters in 1935, the second year of the tournament, having missed the inaugural edition the year before due to a “prior commitment” to play an exhibition match in South America.
Sarazen’s albatross at the 15th in the final round on his first appearance at Augusta remains the ‘shot heard around the world’.
He died in 1999, aged 97.
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“It’s not a burning desire to have to be the youngest to do something, and that would be the only reason there would be added expectations.
“If I don’t win one in the next ten years, then maybe there’s added pressure.
“But it was only two weeks ago that I was able to get the third leg, and that’s so fresh in my mind.
“I’m so happy about that that I can’t add pressure to this week.
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“I believe I’m going to have plenty of chances and I’m young enough to believe in my abilities that it will happen at some point.”
On the week ahead, Spieth added: “Rory’s the guy to beat next week.
“I played with him the first two days here and the way that he is driving the ball if he continues to do it there, he just has a massive advantage over the field.”
Yet McIlroy hit back with a smirk, saying: “No, he can be the favourite.
“Jordan’s trying to take some pressure off himself, I see what he’s trying to do.”
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