American superstar Jordan Spieth has rejigged his schedule in the hope of replicating the 2014 Australian Open triumph that ignited one of the greatest seasons in major golf history.
Spieth credits his Sunday course-record 63 to win the Open two years ago at The Australian as a career changer.
The following season, he rose to world No.1 after winning the Masters and US Open before missing the British Open playoff by a shot and then finishing second behind Jason Day at the US PGA Championship.
Spieth had won only once as a professional before lifting the Stonehaven Cup and now recalls the breakthrough - especially the manner of his runaway victory - as a huge turning point.
"It was one of the best rounds I've ever played," he said on Tuesday.
"It was very windy. I remember playing No.1 and hitting two pretty good shots and having a long two-putt for par.
"I heard a roar from I think Adam (Scott) making birdie on the hole in front and I just remember that not bothering me as much as it bothered me when I was in contention (previously) and feeling the pressure.
"I just didn't feel it that day. It was a really great feeling.
"I learnt how to really close a tournament and then we went into 2015 and did that a few times."
Despite eight victories in the US, including his two major championships, Spieth deems his success in Australia among his most important and had no hesitation returning for a third straight year.
"It was big," he said.
But unlike last year, when he finished tied second with Scott behind Matt Jones, Spieth has arrived in Sydney feeling refreshed after removing a big-money event in China from his jam-packed program.
The 23-year-old is hoping a six-week layoff, like he also enjoyed in late 2014, and another win down under - this time at Royal Sydney but over a field again featuring Scott - can help him recapture the magical form of 2015.
"Any time you can close a tournament like that, it's not just like a given at this point too. I could use an experience like that," Spieth said.
"(As a) springboard, I went and played I think the best golf I've ever played for a four-day stretch the next week at Tiger's event in Orlando.
Spieth has fallen to No.5 in the rankings behind Day, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson, but is in no way bummed about his 2016 season, which included two US tour wins but also a forgettable Masters meltdown from five strokes in front heading to the back nine on Sunday.
"2016 will go down as a really solid year again," he said.
"We win two times for the next 20 years, that's Phil Mickelson territory and people think he'll go down in history as a pretty good golfer."
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