Spieth, 21, will try to remain on course at the Old Course for a calendar grand slam, having won the Masters and U.S. Open.
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His composure under pressure is a notable feature of his rise to prominence, and Spieth is the favorite to win at the so-called Home of Golf.
Yet when asked if fellow players were intimidated by seeing his name on the leaderboard, the way Tiger Woods did in his prime, Spieth sparked amusement by replying: “I don’t know. I don’t look like an intimidating person.”
He continued: “I don’t hit the ball the furthest, which I think is one of the reasons Tiger intimidated people so much — he was the longest and the straightest. But we find a way to get it in the hole.
“I couldn’t speak for what others think. I can’t imagine that because I don’t feel intimidated by anybody, and I feel like if the name of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, whoever it is, is up at the top of the leaderboard, I would be loving to embrace that challenge to knock them off.
“I feel like anyone that’s here to compete to win this championship is feeling that.”
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Spieth downplayed inevitable comparisons between himself and Woods, a 14-time major winner who had similar success at a young age.
“The parallels that are drawn between me and Tiger are unfair. That’s not something that in my mind is necessary,” he said.
“That’s something that people are looking for but is not there with anybody right now because it’s something I don’t think that can be compared until at least midway through their career.
“When people ask me about those kind of parallels, I try and shake it off because it’s not the same.
“I’m extremely happy with where I’ve been and how we’ve been able to compete and win early and win a couple of majors at my age.
“But at the same time, I certainly have an appreciation for how Tiger could continue and continue and continue to keep winning majors at just an unbelievable percentage of the amount that he played in because it’s not easy. It’s very challenging.
“You have to be at the top of your game and the top of your mental game. All the skills have to be there, and for him to consistently do it is a completely different level.”
Highlighting St. Andrews as one of his two “favorite places in the world” along with Augusta National, Spieth said: “It would mean the world to me to try and win this championship and to do it here would be even more special.”
