Jordan Spieth has never been one to shy away from a colorful analogy, and his latest might be his most delicious yet. As the three-time major winner prepares for the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, he's serving up a comparison that's equal parts backyard barbecue and golf swing analysis: his game, he says, is like smoking a chicken.

It's been a frustrating stretch for the 32-year-old, who hasn't hoisted a PGA Tour trophy since 2022. This week marks the ninth anniversary of his quest for the career grand slam, and while he's shown flashes of his old brilliance—with two T-11s and two T-12s already in 2026—the consistency has been elusive. He's been knocking on the door, but hasn't quite kicked it open.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Spieth painted a vivid picture of where his swing stands right now. "I was smoking chicken in the fall or something like that on a big smoker I have," he explained. "It got up to 155 degrees quickly, but then it takes awhile for the last few degrees. I was working on stuff, and I was like, 'this kind of feels like what I'm trying to do in the swing.'"

The analogy hits home for anyone who's ever stood over a smoker—or a putt. As Spieth notes, his swing is producing the right results in practice, but it's not quite sustainable under tournament pressure. "It's there, it's close, it's matching what I want to do," he said. "It feels good and it's producing the right stuff, it's just not quite consistent enough to be contending week-in, week-out."

Just like undercooked chicken, a swing that's not fully ready can leave you in a tough spot. But for Spieth-iacs, there's hope: if the smoker stays lit and the temperature climbs, that perfect bird could still come out of the oven. Whether it happens in time for the season's remaining majors is anyone's guess—but if golf has taught us anything, it's that patience, like barbecue, is a virtue worth savoring.