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SPORTS Thursday 1 March 2018

Shots still matter over thin air at Mexico Championship

By DOUG FERGUSON “Hands down,” he said and didn’t see the shot until
AP Golf Writer when asked if it was one it was shown on TVs around
MEXICO CITY (AP) — One of the better shots of the the club this week. He
of the intriguing aspects of tournament. thought it was a reasonable
the Mexico Championship Thomas revised his example of how thin air
is the thin air and the long assessment a few minutes and outrageous distances
ball. later, only because he make for nice tales, but not
Chapultepec Golf Club thought his 6-iron for a hole- necessarily trophies.
is approaching 7,800 feet in-one on the 223-yard 13th “There’s only a couple of
above sea level, making hole in the third round was holes where it makes that
it the highest altitude most pretty good. Even though much of a difference,”
of the players in this World a hole-in-one typically is a Spieth said. “Length really
Golf Championships event case where the hole gets doesn’t matter out here.
will see all year. The Joburg in the way? “That’s where I One of the par 5s, No. 6,
Open was close to 6,000 was aiming,” Thomas said. you can’t reach if you
feet above sea level. The Back to Johnson’s shot. don’t have length. Other
Barracuda Championship “I was in the fairway and than that, it really doesn’t
in Reno, Nevada, is about saw Tommy make birdie on matter. What DJ did was
the same. 18,” Thomas said. “There’s control his distance and
But that’s not what wins the a tree on the left that was wedge play. If he’s doing
tournament. in his way. The ball was that and putting well, then
Just ask the defending below his feet, and there’s he’s really hard to beat.”
champion. quite a bit of sand in those Spieth didn’t decide until
Dustin Johnson still smiles bunkers. He had to catch it last week to enter the
at one of the best shots perfectly.” And he did. Mexico Championship as
he hit all year — a sand “We were walking to the he tries to find the right
wedge. His lead was down green and converged path to the Masters. He
to one shot when Tommy about 20 yards short and I was slowed significantly
Fleetwood made birdie on just looked at him,” Thomas by mononucleosis in
the 18th hole, and Johnson said, raising his eyebrows. December, restricting his
tugged his tee shot into a “He said, ‘I don’t want that preparations for a new
wicked spot in the bunker. one back.’” year to just four hours of
“The ball was below my One of Johnson’s biggest practice. But he felt good
feet. It was not sitting highlights this year was the enough to play, and he Dustin Johnson putts the ball during a practice round of the
great,” Johnson said. drive he hit 432 yards, 6 feels like he’s hitting his Mexico Championship at the Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico
“And I didn’t really have inches on the 433-yard 12th stride. City, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018.
anywhere to miss it coming hole at Kapalua, which he He was the star attraction Associated Press
out of where I was. It was won by eight shots. In that over the final two holes nook between stairs and and U.S. Open champion
either hit a good shot or I case, the hole really was of his nine-hole practice stands, behind ropes and Brooks Koepka are out with
was probably going into a cut 6 inches from where his round, mainly because of barricades, screamed out injuries.
playoff.” ball stopped rolling. It was a who was in his group. in unison, “Lorena!” That means Johnson is
He hit one of the most great shot to be anywhere It wasn’t Rickie Fowler, or “I was super impressed how virtually certain to stay
underappreciated shots of on the green, and it was Patrick Cantlay and Jason nice he was,” she said. “I hit No. 1 in the world. Even if
the year to about 20 feet for symbolic of Johnson’s Dufner. the ball OK under pressure Jon Rahm wins, Johnson
a two-putt par and a one- power. Lorena Ochoa, Mexico’s with him, and the group would have to finish worse
shot victory. It was his fifth But there’s more to biggest golfing star even and the gallery. I’m happy than 58th. He is only the
World Golf Championships his game. And there’s in retirement, came out I still have some golf.” fifth player to stay No. 1
title in his first start at No. 1 in a lot more to playing to join them at the end. The field is 65 players after for an entire year since the
the world, a position he has Chapultepec. She has a monthly golf three players chose not to ranking began in 1986.
kept all year. Jordan Spieth, whose 63 special on the CNN outlet play, mainly for scheduling “Had to put in a lot of hard
Justin Thomas was playing was the low round of the in Mexico and played purposes — Henrik Stenson, work,” he said. And hit a lot
in the final group and tournament last year, and talked with Spieth. Jason Day and Rory of good shots, with more
remembers it well. wasn’t in the final group Children surrounding every McIlroy. Hideki Matsuyama than just the driver.q