Professional Golf

[PaulMdj]

They were but it was fine margins. The commentators said that only two people went at the flag on 17 all day Thomas and Young. Fitzpatrick took the logical shot, Young gambled and it came off. Fitz said he saw Youngs drive on 18 draw with the wind and hoped his would do the same. It didn't, it went straight. He then shaved the hole for a play off. Fine margins.

Incidentally, they both shot 68 in the final round.

So Young is stood on 17 one shot behind and goes for it, Fitz played his tee shot first and as you say, played a bit safer.

Young is chasing and probably thinks he needs a birdie as a minimum to force a play off.

So on 18 when Fitz sees Young put his ball on the fairway, Fitz has a choice to make.

Totally agree it’s fine margins, and that’s why I believe 16 had more of an impact, that is a hole they both probably thought they’d birdie and Fitz missing that fairway put that as very unlikely.

Still don’t see it as disrespectful or miserable to discuss were things may of gone wrong or look for excuses with the wind etc especially as they were side by side.

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

Well, we will have to disagree. How many times have the experts said that a lesser club like a 3 wood or an iron is a safer club to tee off with? Many times.. And for a reason. Because it’s true.
As you say, no guarantee, but eliminating risk is sought after in golf. ( see Hogan about “the left side”)

If you think it is always the same risk, regardless of club identity, then you are well into the minority.

It is a short hole ( as Pro golf courses go), so the risk was very high taking a driver precisely because of the dogleg , and considering the ease with which a shorter length tee shot could have been converted to a GIR.

In this case, Young’s 100 yd second shot did not result in a birdie. A possible one but not a likely one.
He was almost off the green with his approach.
Players of the calibre playing in that competition are well capable of getting GIR from distances of 130 ( easy), up to 170 yards.( everyday, for them ), even up to 200.
And you cannot dispute the fact that Young won with a par. Fitz lost shooting a bogey, because his tee shot was too long. He went where many driver tee shots went on that hole throughout the tournament.

Radar called it right before they played the hole.

And Fitz is an accepted good wedge player, He should have got the fairway from the tee, and calculated that his wedge would be better than Youngs, which it likely would have been. And probably more likely to have yielded the birdie.

A 3 wood is a tiny % safer than a driver. But what happens when you hit a 3 wood or iron and still miss the fairway? As lots did.
You then have 180 yards in from the trouble!

The only guarantee with hitting a shorter club is you have further in. This making the approach more difficult. Young didn’t need a birdie to win. He needed a tap in par. His tee shot set that up.

These players miss the green from 130 somewhere around 25% of the time, the further away they are, the more likely it becomes. And with the pin position on 18, just hitting the green greatly increases the chances of a 3 putt.

And I don’t pay much attention to the commentators, they are mostly old school when tapping it off the tee into the fairway was considered good course management.

Also, I very much doubt he took dead aim on 17. He will have been aiming a few feet left and got lucky with dispersion.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@PaulMdj it's definitely not disrespectful or miserable to discuss it. It would have been interesting had it gone to a play off as to whether his tactics would of changed on 18. He hadn't scored well on there all week, he clearly doesn't like it, or it doesn't suit him.

Hearing him afterwards he didn't seem to have any regrets.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

So Young is stood on 17 one shot behind and goes for it, Fitz played his tee shot first and as you say, played a bit safer.

Young is chasing and probably thinks he needs a birdie as a minimum to force a play off.

So on 18 when Fitz sees Young put his ball on the fairway, Fitz has a choice to make.

Totally agree it’s fine margins, and that’s why I believe 16 had more of an impact, that is a hole they both probably thought they’d birdie and Fitz missing that fairway put that as very unlikely.

Still don’t see it as disrespectful or miserable to discuss were things may of gone wrong or look for excuses with the wind etc especially as they were side by side.

Not convinced Young went for it on 17 as you heard through the cameras him saying as he it that he chunked it a little so he got a little lucky there.

He took the risk on 18 and it paid off, I do think that swayed Fitzpatrick decision and made him take the driver where he probably would’ve been better with the 3 wood. But it’s fine margins and he still gave himself a chance at par on the last to force it to a play off so guess we can’t be to harsh on him.

The biggest irritation for me is how annoying the US crowds are and they’re getting worse each week and that’s making it almost unbearable to watch at some events.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Looking forward to this event this weekend. Crowds will be good and this hole looks like it could generate some atmosphere.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2033577503952892039

 

[PaulMdj]

Not convinced Young went for it on 17 as you heard through the cameras him saying as he it that he chunked it a little so he got a little lucky there.

He took the risk on 18 and it paid off, I do think that swayed Fitzpatrick decision and made him take the driver where he probably would’ve been better with the 3 wood. But it’s fine margins and he still gave himself a chance at par on the last to force it to a play off so guess we can’t be to harsh on him.

The biggest irritation for me is how annoying the US crowds are and they’re getting worse each week and that’s making it almost unbearable to watch at some events.

Fitzy is one of my favourites mate, disppointed for him more than anything else, I have no issue with his choice on 18 as I believe 16th was a bigger mishap.

Over the 4 rounds he was 2 under for the 16th and 3 over for the 18th.

If, and it’s a big if, he’d of birdie 16 I don’t think Young would of caught him.

Abdolutely agree with the crowd and the chanting.

 

[Burnsey]

Fitzy is one of my favourites mate, disppointed for him more than anything else, I have no issue with his choice on 18 as I believe 16th was a bigger mishap.

Over the 4 rounds he was 2 under for the 16th and 3 over for the 18th.

If, and it’s a big if, he’d of birdie 16 I don’t think Young would of caught him.

Abdolutely agree with the crowd and the chanting.

I too like him, but, we know he records every shot etc and the right miss/run out, which was likely due to water left was always going to kill an approach and with his skill to hit a longer approach, the driver did surprise me.