News

Masters special: When amateur Rick Fehr had zero 3-putts

Published

3 years ago

Apr 6, 2023

Rick Fehr attended and competed for Brigham Young University and played in the Masters as an amateur in 1983 and 1984. In 1984, Fehr made the cut by three shots, posting 72 and 71. He followed those rounds with 70 on Saturday, and closed with 75 on Sunday. He finished in a tie for 25th place with five other golfers. He was one of three amateurs to make the cut that year. The most astonishing data point from Rick Fehr’s 1984 Masters was this: he went 72 holes without a three-putt green.

Fehr has been a professional golf teacher for the past 20 years. After winning twice on the PGA Tour, he transitioned to golf instruction. In addition to his low amateur prize at the Masters in 1984, he was low amateur that year at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Mr. Fehr was generous with his time and gave us some insight on precisely how someone navigates each Augusta National green four times, in the heat of competition, and comes away with zero three-putts.

1984 low amateur prize and no-three-putts putter. Photo courtesy of Rick Fehr.

GolfWRX: Which accomplishments earned you an invitation to the 1983 and 1984 Masters tournaments?

Fehr: My invitation to the 1983 tournament was for being a semi-finalist in the 1982 U.S. Amateur and my invitation to play in 1984 was for being a member of the 1983 Walker Cup team.
(of course, those exemption categories no longer exist. I was fortunate)

GolfWRX: Talk us through your acclimatization process with Augusta National. There’s no other golf course like it, or is there? Did you use a club caddie each year? Was it the same caddie both years?

Fehr: I did use a club caddie both years. College players and amateurs don’t normally have a caddie in other tournaments, so it was an adjustment. Despite his familiarity with the greens, I chose to read them on my own.

GolfWRX: Tell us about the specs of the putter that you used in 1984. Had you used it for a period of time, or was it a relatively new club in your bag?

Fehr: 35-inch Ping Anser 2. I had used it for a few years prior to the ’84 Masters.

GolfWRX: Were you a reverse-overlap grip guy, a left-hand low, or something else? How did you settle on that connection with the club?

Fehr: I used the reverse-overlap, and still do. Honestly, nearly everyone used that connection with the club unless they were fighting the yips.

Photo courtesy of Rick Fehr.

GolfWRX: I know that Tiger Woods recently said that he could not replicate his famous chip-in at 16, as the green has been adjusted. We assume that to be the case with many of the putting surfaces. Which greens at Augusta National were the toughest to read and putt during your years?

Fehr: The fifth green seemed to present the most challenging long putts in addition to presenting the most challenging approach shots.

GolfWRX: I was a freshman in college during the 1984 Masters. I followed all the top amateurs, and I remember your game having zero weaknesses. Do you think that the zero-three-putts achievement was a result of extraordinary approach play, or was it also the best putting week of your life?

Fehr: Excellent question. My iron play was on point that week, which is often underrated in importance at Augusta. That was certainly key in avoiding three-putts, for sure. That said, I made a bunch of 6-10 footers for two-putts.

GolfWRX: Did you have a pre-putt routine that you utilized during that period? Did you read putts from all sides, or did one angle tend to dominate for you? What were your mental/physical keys for your putting?

Fehr: Most often, I would take a look midway between the hole and my ball to get a good look at the slope (uphill/downhill), and then a look from behind the ball to find my line. I maintained my “vision” of where the ball was to travel to the hole and executed prior to losing the picture in my mind.

GolfWRX: Were you aware that you had such a run going, or did you only realize after the fact? Did you figure it out yourself, or did someone else bring it to light?

Fehr: Like so often was the case back then, my father (Jerry) brought it to my attention.

GolfWRX: What question haven’t I asked, about 72 holes of exquisite putting, that I should have asked? Please ask it and answer it.

Fehr: Was putting always a strength of your game? Yes. I went on to lead the PGA Tour putting statistic later in my career and felt as if I was always one of the best of my era. It all started with putting competitions with my junior golfing friends at my home course in Seattle.

Photo courtesy of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

9 mins ago

Jun 3, 2026

Ben A

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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WITB Albums

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase