Late Open entrant flies by the seat of his pants

It has been a crazy few days for 19-year-old Jordan Spieth. The young American practised for the British Open on Tuesday in the same, unwashed trousers that he wore on Sunday to win the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Spieth's fortunes changed in the blink of an eye when he became the youngest player since 1931 to win a PGA event, earning his tour card with a two-year exemption, banking $828,000 and securing a coveted spot in the British Open. The drama started even before Sunday's playoff when Spieth holed out from a greenside bunker on the 18th. He then held his nerve for five nerve-jangling playoff holes to overcome defending champion Zach Johnson and Canada's David Hearn . Hours after holing a short but life-changing putt on the fifth extra hole, Spieth boarded a plane for Edinburgh, Scotland to take his place alongside the world's best players at Muirfield. Spieth's agent had reportedly arranged for the golfer's passport to be sent to Illinois just in case, but Spieth himself had not been planning so far ahead. "I only packed for one week. These are the pants I wore Sunday; haven't been washed," he told journalists at Muirfield, where the Open gets under way on Thursday. Spieth said he was more accustomed to watching the British Open unfold on television rather than being on centre stage himself. "This is the tournament that I watch every year. It's really cool to watch, when you wake up in the morning and see guys in the afternoon and you see it's miserable for them, and you're sitting on the couch," he said, referring to the inclement weather than often accompanies the British Open. Spieth, who is due to tee off at 12:50 pm (1150 GMT) on Thursday alongside fellow American Russell Henley and English amateur Matthew Fitzpatrick, appeared undaunted by his wild ride. "I really do enjoy playing links golf. I don't spin the ball very much. I fly it low. And I like to use my imagination chipping. It's just a fun test to me, as long as I stay out of the sand," he said. Asked what research he had done on the course, he replied: "I don't really have Internet. Not a whole lot I could do. I'm just kind of free-swinging, feeling really good from last week, and just trying to keep that going. I made a lot of birdies last week, at least the putts are going in." Spieth, who only turned pro in December, won plaudits from the greatest in the game. "I think it's fantastic for him. Being 19 years old and having an opportunity to not only to have a chance to win his first tournament, but the way he did it and went out there in the playoff and got it done," said world number one Tiger Woods. "He's got charisma; people are drawn to him. He's going to be a real asset to the tour," said four-time major winner Phil Mickelson. Spieth was the low amateur at the 2012 US Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco after securing a place as an alternate when compatriot Brandt Snedeker was forced to withdraw due to a rib injury. Source: AFP