Jordan Spieth fumes over Masters censorship of ‘frustrating’ problem

Jordan Spieth has alluded to some censorship going on at the Masters.

The 31-year-old suggested Saturday that organizers of the tournament want golfers to refrain from talking about the challenges that come from mud balls.

Spieth, who took home the green jacket in 2015, is having a respectable Masters following a third-round 69 on Saturday after making the cut on the number.

Despite his Saturday performance being his best of the tournament, Spieth sits tied for 21st place, 11 shots behind leader Rory McIlroy, going into the closing round.

Spieth said he believes the mud balls cost him some strokes.

“My iron play killed me the last two days and to be brutally honest with you, it was primarily mud balls,” Spieth said after the round. “It’s just so frustrating because you can’t talk about them here. You’re not supposed to talk about them.

“Mud balls can affect this tournament significantly, especially when you get them a lot on 11 and 13. They’re just daggers on those two holes.”

Mud sticking to golf balls can make iron shots unpredictable. While that is not breaking news, those in charge at Augusta National are known to be fiercely protective over the course’s image.

“There’s like less than normal but I still had them today on those holes. I had them (Friday) on those holes,” Spieth said. “It’s something to pay attention to for sure for leader groups, because you just have to play so far away from trouble or lay up when you’d normally go for it, just random stuff, because it will affect it significantly. And if you’re on the wrong side of the hole you’re either in the water or you almost can’t make par depending on what hole it is.

“Look, it’s mowed into the grain. The ball is digging in on every shot. A lot of times you have it on 75% of your drives.”

Other golfers have previously noted the mud ball issue at Augusta National, with Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia issuing an apology to the Masters in 2009 following his own criticism.

“Even when it’s dry you still get mud balls in the middle of the fairway,” Garcia said. “It’s too much of a guessing game.”