19th Hole
Did Tiger Woods screw up by hitting iron off the tee at the 72nd hole?
Tiger Woods, as we know, finished one stroke behind Paul Casey in his bid to return to the winner’s circle at the Valspar Championship.
Woods arrived at the 72nd hole needing birdie to tie Casey. Electing to avoid flirtation with fairway bunkers left and right, Woods hit a long iron 258 yards down the fairway, leaving himself a 185-yard approach shot to the back right pin. His approach shot ended up 38 feet, 11 inches, from the hole. Unsurprisingly considering the distance, he didn’t make the putt.
Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but some questioned Woods not taking on the bunkers with a 3-wood or driver, and thus allowing for the possibility of a much shorter approach shot he would have been statistically more likely to get close.
Scott Fawcett, founder of the Decade course management system, didn’t question Woods’ decision however. In fact, Fawcett took to Twitter to laud Woods’ decision. The responses to Fawcett’s tweet were both interesting and insightful, spearheaded by our own Rich Hunt.
You can find a portion of this excellent conversation below.
Tiger is the GOAT for a host of reasons, his course management is likely the top of the list though. How many Tour players could go to 18 *needing* birdie and NOT ABANDON HOW THEY PLAYED THE HOLE ALL WEEK? #GOATdiscipline pic.twitter.com/ZGNPWk6mDP
— Scott Fawcett (@scottfawcett) March 11, 2018
My problem is the strategy on 18 today. Had to have birdie, lays up 185 yds. 185 yds/fwy yields a Tour average prox 2 cup of 33.3 feet which has make % of ~6%. A 'good shot' from 185/fwy for Tour players is about 27.8 feet which has a make % of ~8%.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
If he hits driver ~50 yards past his lay up shot (135 yds), a 'very good shot' would put him to about 16 feet which has a 20% make percentage.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
Basically gave himself a 6% chance to make birdie by laying up. Had greater odds of finding the fairway with the driver than making birdie by laying up. Again, this is a different situation. He had to make birdie or he goes home unlike the 3 previous rounds.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
Essentially, laying up is the right move over the long haul because the projected score is lower for Tiger if he lays up off the tee than if he hits driver. But, this wasn't a 'long haul' situation. He had to have birdie and laying up greatly hurt his odds in doing so.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
If he had a 40% chance of hitting the fairway, that's greater than a 6% chance of making birdie by laying up. Like I said, over the long haul it's wise for him to lay-up on 18 cuz expected scores will be lower. But when you have to have a birdie, laying up is a bad choice here
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
This was a different situation. If I'm playing 18 in any other situation, the odds are to lay up because of the narrow fwy and the trees. But this situation was make birdie or lose. Having 185 yds out, even if you WELL above the Tour avg gives little odds of making birdie.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
And as promising as Tiger looks…he's not the performer with the irons that he was in his prime years. I was actually surprised so many people thought he would win today given his track record of not winning events coming from behind.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
I agree with this. I just don't think that in THIS particular situation it applies. Kinda like the basketball team that is down by 3, goes for the easy 2 pt layup with less than 5 seconds to go instead of shooting a 3. They may be a great team but it was poor strategy & they lost
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
Absolutely. It's a completely different scenario. He's down by 1, he has to make at least a birdie. Needs to play the shot that will give him the best chance of making birdie. If he had almost NO chance of hitting the fwy w/driver I can see. But that wasn't nearly the case.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
Odds based on performance are based on past history. It's very unlikely he would hit a 185 yd shot to 3.3 feet while it's much more likely he would hit that shot closer to 33 feet. I don't understand people thinking it was impossible for him to find the fwy with the driver.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
Sure. But if he hits it to 25 feet that's still a really good shot from that distance and odds are low. And this year Tiger has made ONE putt from outside 25 feet the entire season (1.85%)…which occurred on the 71st hole.
— Hunt Golf Analytics (@Richie3Jack) March 12, 2018
What do you think, GolfWRX members, do you agree with Woods’ approach off the tee at the final hole?
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19th Hole
TaylorMade signs 15-year-old AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year to an NIL contract
This week, TaylorMade Golf announced that they’ve signed AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell, to an NIL contract.
In a statement, TaylorMade called Russell “nothing short of remarkable”.
“Miles’ record setting success at his young age is nothing short of remarkable and we are excited he chose us to support him in his growth as a golfer to continue to accomplish his career goals. Identifying and developing the top junior talent in the world has always been a priority for us at TaylorMade. Miles and his family epitomize the type of athlete and human being we are looking to add to Team TaylorMade.”
Russell has broken plenty of records in recent months. This season, he was named American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Boys Player of the Year, making him the youngest male player to receive the award. The record was previously held by Tiger Woods who was about 10 months older than Russell at the time he received the award.
At age 14, J he became the youngest player ever to win the Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass at age 14.
The 15-year-old also played in his first Korn Ferry Tour event on Thursday, the LECOM Suncoast Classic, and shot a first-round 68.
In the aftermath of the agreement, Russell released a statement.
“I have had a great relationship with the team at TaylorMade for years now and couldn’t be more excited to continue to work with them in the future. TaylorMade has a history of developing the top junior talent in the world to help reach their goals of becoming PGA TOUR and major championship winners. I am looking forward to working with the team to reach those and other goals I have laid out for my career.”
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19th Hole
Group of PGA Tour caddies sign endorsement deal with underwear company
In an interesting turn of events, a group of PGA Tour caddies have signed an endorsement deal with an underwear company.
Geno Bonnalie (Joel Dahmen), Aaron Flener (J.T. Poston), John Limanti (Akshay Bhatia) and Joel Stock (Will Zalatoris) and John Ellis (Wyndham Clark) have signed a deal with the underwear brand, SAXX.
Here are some details about the endorsement deal:
- The deal eclipses six figures in total value, extending what last year marked the first significant apparel agreement with a group of pro caddies. Of note, Geno and John Ellis appeared in the Netflix docuseries, Full Swing.
- The caddies will wear SAXX underwear, shorts and polos on and off the course.
- SAXX will donate $100 to the Testicular Cancer Foundation for every birdie made by the caddies’ players for the rest of the season.
- SAXX will bring the Ball Masters to the masses at the Travelers Championship, hosting a fan activation with underwear giveaways, photo opportunities, appearances from the Ball Masters and more.
- Fans can become an honorary Ball Master, which includes a year’s worth of underwear, among other things. Go to SAXX.com/ball-master-application from now until June 15 to enter.
The partnership is great for the caddies and also represents a great cause.
Check out the video they shared on YouTube:
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- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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19th Hole
Man charged with stealing millions of dollars worth of memorabilia from Augusta National
According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, a man has been charged in Chicago with stealing millions of dollars’ worth of memorabilia from Augusta National.
The man, Robert Globensky, was charged with transporting the memorabilia across state lines.
The report states that between 2009 and 2022, Globensky allegedly transported “millions of dollars’ worth of Masters golf tournament merchandise and historical memorabilia” from Augusta National “and transported to Tampa, Florida, knowing the same had been stolen, converted and taken by fraud.”
The document was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Per the court records there is no mention that Globensky worked for the golf club.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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