We’ve had a decade or so of driveable par-4 holes in major championships, thanks to a newfound appreciation for traditional course setups and, let’s be honest, fun. The PGA of America decided to make the 16th hole one of those holes on Sunday, and what a fine decision that turned out to be. We’ll get to that tidbit in a bit.
As happens at most major championships, golfers fade away far more frequently than they rise up. We’ll also get to those unfortunate souls. Regular tour events are one thing, but the return of major championship golf is quite another. Let’s talk about who did what, when, and where, on championship Sunday at TPC Harding Park.
1. Collin Morikawa drove the 16th green and …
…left himself an eight-foot putt for eagle. And he made it! You’ve seen it, and you’ll see it again and again. Kind of like Christian Laettner’s half-court shot for Duke, or Jack’s putt on 17 at Augusta. Morikawa set up for a baby cut on the antepenultimate hole and executed it to perfection. The ball bounced once in the fairway, once on the green, then rolled up the putting surface to three yards below the hole. His stroke was pure and the putt for the deuce never looked like anything but stellar. The eagle gave him a two-shot lead over Paul Casey with two holes left.
2. Collin Morikawa put on a short-game clinic on Sunday
You don’t shoot a six-under 64 without holing a bit of this and a bit of that. Morikawa made a few longish putts for par in the early going, keeping himself in the thick of the contest. On the 14th hole, Morikawa hit a weekend-golfer sort of approach …WITH A WEDGE! Unphased by leaving it 10 yards short of the green, Morikawa pitched his third on the par-4 hole to the green, where it rolled into the hole for birdie to reach 11 under par. The pitch-in set the stage for the fireworks yet to come.
3. Collin Morikawa broke the Wannamaker trophy
For those who don’t know, the winner’s trophy for the U.S. PGA championship is really heavy. It’s kind of hilarious that the lid is not affixed to the chalice part. Morikawa found that out the hard way, as he lifted it above his shoulders, albeit slightly akimbo. That was all it took for the lid to go sailing off toward Lake Merced. The nice thing about Morikawa is, he smiles a lot, and seems able to laugh at himself.
4. Paul Casey came up just shy of his first major
Casey was one of the first to congratulate Morikawa on his victory. The classy Englishman played superior golf on Sunday, posting 66 for his best round of the week. He posted five birdies against one bogey and reached 72 holes at 11 under par before anyone else. No one can deny that Casey did everything required to win an elusive major title. Unfortunately for him, he fell victim to two miraculous shots, late in the round, from the same golfer. Should Casey be considered a favorite next month at Winged Foot, at the U.S. Open? Absolutely.
5. Dustin Johnson came up just shy of his second major
DJ is moving into a club that most golfers would love to join, and one that he desperately wants to leave. He has one major title to his name, despite more than 20 tour victories and a winning streak of nearly fifteen years. Like Casey before him, Johnson played a solid final round. He had two bogeys on the day, which was two more than Morikawa had. Johnson made a birdie at the last, which is what champions do. Somehow, it wasn’t enough. Somehow, Johnson had earned yet another runner-up finish at a major, another top-ten, another big check. He deserves more, not pon de replay.
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PM
Aug 10, 2020 at 6:53 am
“Kind of like Christian Laettner’s half-court shot against Duke”
um, guys, no editors working today?
Rich
Aug 9, 2020 at 11:32 pm
Amazing golf and an amazing win by Collin. Love this kids game.