Tour News
Fans to decide PGA Championship final-round pin location
In a game that outsiders sometimes accuse of getting stuck in its traditions just for the sake of it, the PGA of America should be commended for bringing about the latest of golf’s steps into modernity.
For the first time, the administrators of the PGA Championship are allowing golf fans — anyone with an Internet connection, really — to vote on a hole location for the final round of this year’s final major championship. Fans have a choice of four spots on the meandering putting surface of the No. 15 at Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course, located in Rochester, N.Y.
The hole is a par 3 that measures 181 yards, slightly downhill. The green measures nearly 40 yards from front to back, but is only about 15 yards wide. Three bunkers — two of them hidden from view from the tee — line the left side of the green, while a rock wall-rimmed pond lurks down the entire right side. In other words, the options are to hit a straight middle iron or suffer. Not a very fun or unique challenge of a hole, to be honest.
The PGA’s free-for-all competition to choose the final-round hole location, therefore, is something of a saving grace. Anyone who votes — especially those who end up choosing the winning pin placement — have extra incentive to pay attention to Sunday’s coverage (Aug. 11) of this year’s edition of the PGA.
The hole locations are as follows:
Choice A: 4 yards from the right — i.e., water’s—edge and 6 from the front, it might seem the easiest of the four hole locations by virtue of the fact that it makes the hole the shortest, but with the first of those aforementioned three bunkers just steps left of the cup, it has plenty of teeth. The safe play to this hole location is actually a few yards long, which is not an intuitive concept and further complicates matters.
Choice B: The remaining three choices sit in the rear portion of the green, with this one 23 yards from the front and just left of center. A little farther from the water, the safe place to miss this pin is just short and left. A few yards too long and/or left and the ball will catch one of the bunkers or a low area in the back left part of the green.
Choice C: Another 2 yards deeper into the green and 4 yards from the right hand side, this location increases the water’s influence on the shot to be played. Players who want to challenge this hole location will need complete confidence in the yardage and wind.
Choice D: A full 30 yards back in the green and roughly in the lateral middle, this hole location might not yield the highest average score, but would probably produce the fewest birdies. It would seem to pay well to be defensive to this hole location—hit it 30 to 40 feet short and left and settle for a two-putt par.
At the time of this writing, hole location C — the one closest to the water — is crushing the competition in the voting, with 62 percent of the total support. It is the obvious choice — closer to the water, more exciting, right? — but not the best. As the 69th hole of the championship, it is unlikely that players are going to be thinking of No. 15 as a birdie hole. They are most likely to be thinking defensively, looking only at the center of the green, with only poor shots ending up in the water. This will turn No. 15 into a putting contest. Boring!
If you want to see a good mix of birdies and the potential for some big numbers, especially by the leaders, choose hole location A. It sits as close (just 4 yards) to the water as location C, but because it shortens the hole, more players are likely to get greedy.
At 19 percent of the current vote, it has a great deal of ground to make up on boring-yet-obvious C. To help close the gap, go to the PGA’s website and cast your vote. While you’re at it, implore the PGA to play the hole from a front tee. Remember when David Toms aced No. 15 hole during his PGA Championship victory in 2001? Want to see another? Of course you do!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.
As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.
Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.
General Albums
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Monday #2
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Zurich Classic – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Alex Fitzpatrick – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Austin Cook – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Alejandro Tosti – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- MJ Daffue – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Nate Lashley – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- James Nicholas – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Kevin Streelman – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rasmus Hojgaard – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Tom Whitney – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- SangMoon Bae – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Daniel Berger – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Rory McIlroy – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Russ Cochrane – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Aldrich Potgieter – WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Steve Stricker WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Drew Brees WITB (Legendary New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints QB) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Thriston Lawrence WITB – 2024 Zurich Classic
Pullout Albums
- MJ Daffue’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Cameron putters – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Swag covers ( a few custom for Nick Hardy) – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Custom Bettinardi covers for Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Doug Ghim’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
- Patrick Cantlay spotted testing a Scotty Cameron blade putter – 2024 Zurich Classic
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Sean
Jul 27, 2013 at 2:45 pm
I don’t agree. I think “C” is the most difficult location. With “A” if you hit your yardage you could hit that opening in the front and have a nice putt for birdie (or even a little short and have an easy chip). “C” brings both the bunker and the water into play.
Weston
Jul 26, 2013 at 9:15 am
Would definitely like to see location A. The shorter distance will encourage the risk/reward thought process, which in my opinion adds to the fun in watching these guys navigate their way around!