The story behind Jordan Spieth's new haircut at The Open

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland – Should Jordan Spieth win a second consecutive Claret Jug on Sunday, he’ll be prepared for the occasion. With time to kill before Saturday’s 3:10 p.m. tee time, Spieth decided it was the perfect time to get an overdue trim in Carnoustie.

Spieth said he had a simple motive for his pre-round trim.

“My hair got a little long, and I needed to get a haircut, so I did this morning,” said Spieth, who walked into town after looking up a barber shop on the app Yelp.

Spieth said he wasn’t recognized as the defending Open champion. His hair was cut shorter than his normal style, but he still left a 20-pound note for the 9-pound haircut.

“It was intended to be what I normally get, and instead he went a little shorter. Very British haircut,” Spieth said. “A little shaved on the sides, a little longer on top. It is what it is. Summertime, it works out.”

Spieth’s closely-shorn haircut was quickly noticed when he appeared on television Saturday afternoon. Kevin Kisner, who’s staying with Spieth in a rental house, called the haircut “military-grade.”

It may be immortalized in countless photos if Spieth can continue his good play at Carnoustie. This is the first time since 2014 that Spieth has arrived at The Open Championship without a victory, but he seems to have made progress with his putting. He shot 72 in the first round after playing the final four holes in 4 over, then followed with rounds of 67-65 to share the 54-hole lead with Kisner and Xander Schauffele.

Spieth would become the first player since Young Tom Morris to win consecutive Open Championships before the age of 25. Spieth will play with Schauffele in Sunday’s final group at 2:45 p.m. local time.