Fowler's tee shot on 17th

[FairwayDodger]

The hole hadn't changed so why did he not hit driver in the play off? Same length hole, same pin placement, same risks.
.

Not really surprising to change your play after a bad outcome - golf is so much in the head.

IMO he doesn't really know how to play that hole - he's got so much scar tissue there.

A big part of shot choice is confidence - how confident are you of pulling off the shot. How often do we play a shot that maybe doesn't come out of the course management textbook but that we feel more capable of playing successfully?

Not for a minute am I arguing he made the right decision just that it's not as clear cut as some people have been making out.

 

[Hobbit]

The guy trusts his game. He made the right choice. Even laying up with a long iron could have led to an iffy second shot. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

A good point. Going for everything isn't always the answer and sometimes a plan B and a conservative approach will be the better play. I wonder if he'll gain that with age

Assuming (dangerous, i know) that he thinks he made an error I think he will learn with age.

He's the kind of player who seems to be committed to improving and learning all he can rather than relying on a predisposed, 'God given' type talent. I hope so because as I said earlier I think he's got lots to offer the sport game-wise and not just the whole image thing. I'm hoping a little sting like this might just help him later in the season if he's contending down the stretch in a major and enable him to get the job done.

 

[Region3]

In Fowler's interview he said both he and the caddie thought driver was the right club because he'd have to hit 3w perfectly to carry the fairway bunker.

The following is just my opinion.

If he hits an iron off the tee then yes he's only left with a wedge in, but the flag was pretty close to the water. Even with a 100yd shot stuff can go wrong playing to a flag that has water close by left and long.
Play safe right of the flag and get it wrong and the ball disappears down a big bank on the right and you've then got to get up and down off a tight lie with water just beyond the hole to save par.

 

[Radbourne2010]

Apparently he's been in the water left on that hole 8 times prior to his melt down on Sunday afternoon. He'd just hit a 345 yard drive down 15 so surely even a 4-5 iron short of the fairway bunker his caddy was so worried about followed by a full wedge would have done the job. That said, he has won twice in his last 7 events and sits 4th in the world so it's not all doom & gloom...what Poulter wouldn't give for that right now

 

[garyinderry]

Driver brought danger of water not just long but also a tug to the left.


Shirt of fairway bunker and wedge was the play when two ahead.


Ive only seen it live and the odd replay at the time but did he hit is a bit low? low spinning knuckle ball that caught the downslope and ran forever.

Maybe a higher softer landing shot may have been the play. Seemed like he just hit standard get it down there as far as possible drive.

 

[User 105]

In Fowler's interview he said both he and the caddie thought driver was the right club because he'd have to hit 3w perfectly to carry the fairway bunker.

The following is just my opinion.

If he hits an iron off the tee then yes he's only left with a wedge in, but the flag was pretty close to the water. Even with a 100yd shot stuff can go wrong playing to a flag that has water close by left and long.
Play safe right of the flag and get it wrong and the ball disappears down a big bank on the right and you've then got to get up and down off a tight lie with water just beyond the hole to save par.

I think his decision has to be based on what he thinks he needs to win.

Did he absolutely need a birdy ? then I could see driver or 3w as being his best play.

If he just needs a par, then you have to fancy his chances with an iron and a wedge to the middle of the green then 2 putts.

In my mind he's 2 ahead, 2 to play. The chances of his opponent going birdy birdy is unlikely. And even then he's still in a playoff. Even if he pars 17 and his opo makes birdy he still has a chance to birdy 18 to clinch it if his opponent makes a birdy there as well.

I just think if you look at the likely outcomes a Par on 17th should have been enough.

 

[Stuey01]

In my mind he's 2 ahead, 2 to play. The chances of his opponent going birdy birdy is unlikely.

And yet that is exactly what happened. Also 17 is an eagle chance, and stood on the tee he doesn't know matsuyama isn't going to eagle it.

He's thinking he needs at least 1 birdie from the last two holes to secure the win, and 17 is a much better birdie chance than 18.

There is no way he thought he could hit it long into the water so he took it on and got really unlucky.

If he lays up and goes par par, whilst matsuyama goes for it and beats him, we'd all be here crucifying for not finishing it off when he had the chance on 17, an "easy" birdie hole.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

And yet that is exactly what happened. Also 17 is an eagle chance, and stood on the tee he doesn't know matsuyama isn't going to eagle it.

He's thinking he needs at least 1 birdie from the last two holes to secure the win, and 17 is a much better birdie chance than 18.

There is no way he thought he could hit it long into the water so he took it on and got really unlucky.

If he lays up and goes par par, whilst matsuyama goes for it and beats him, we'd all be here crucifying for not finishing it off when he had the chance on 17, an "easy" birdie hole.

Yep.....and his poor decision cost him a bogey.

I wonder what Faldo or Woods or Nicklaus would have done in that situation.

 

[Robobum]

Doesn't he hit a stock baby cut with the driver?

350yds + to the water over the back.

Even if he was 2 yards right of where he went, he'd have ended up in the sand.

Doesn't seem much risk to me. Perfect strike, hot bounce........just very unlucky.

Sure he's struggling to sleep at night.......https://twitter.com/gcw/status/697018248886358016