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SPORTS Wednesday 12 december 2018

14 Clubs came to the par-3 17th

hole, with a back pin on a
Continued from Page 18 play in the PGA Champi- peninsula green that was
onship when he came to running hard and fast.
It didn’t factor in the out- the 248-yard 16th hole at On one of the most daunt-
come — Johnson won by Bellerive. He hit a laser of a ing holes at Quail Hollow,
eight shots — but it sparked 4-iron to 6 feet for a birdie his 7-iron from 230 yards hit
a new round of debate that sent him to his second the pin and settled 3 feet
on distance, even though major of the year. “That will away for birdie that sent
the wind was at his back probably go down as one him to his second victory of
and the last 120 yards are of the best shots I’ve ever the year.
downhill with the grain. It hit under pressure,” he said. 8-IRON
didn’t help that Johnson 5-IRON Finau had a Ryder Cup de-
said he caught it a little “We’re not here to lay up. but to remember, especial-
thin. He was joking. It’s a major. You’re going to ly on the par-3 16th hole.
3-WOOD have to take some chanc- Finau and Koepka were 1 In this Aug. 12, 2018, file photo, Brooks Koepka celebrates after
Hideki Matsuyama might es at some point during down when Finau’s 8-iron making his birdie putt on the 16th green during the final round
have hit an even longer the week,” Marc Leishman was headed for the water. of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Bellerive Country
Club, in St. Louis. His 4-iron into the green was among the
shot with his 3-wood, ex- said. Instead, it struck a 12-inch defining shots of the year.
cept the Barry Burn got And that’s what he did wide board framing the Associated Press
in the way. Matsuyama’s on the par-5 15th hole at green, soared into the air of losing on European soil. gey two holes later and
tee shot on the 10th hole Augusta National in the slid from contention. He still
at Carnoustie in the first second round at the Mas- called it his best of the year.
round of the British Open ters. His tee shot was too GAP WEDGE
went an estimated 405 far left, leaving trees be- Justin Thomas knew he
yards before it dropped tween him and the flag. needed a birdie on the
over the edge and into the Leishman hooded his 5-iron 18th hole of the Mexico
water. “I couldn’t believe and hit a 40-yard hook that Championship to have
it,” Matsuyama said. It was just caught the front of the even a remote chance.
an example of how tough green, bounced up and He did one better. His gap
an Open can play when rolled out to 6 feet for ea- wedge from 119 yards spun
players have to guess how gle. back into the cup for an
far the ball will roll on a fast 6-IRON eagle and a 64, and it was
links. Francesco Molinari started good enough to get into a
5-WOOD the back nine of his flaw- playoff. He wound up los-
Justin Thomas was 259 less finish in the Quicken ing to Phil Mickelson on the
yards from the hole on the Loans National with a 50- first extra hole.
par-5 18th in a playoff at foot eagle putt. But his best LOB WEDGE
the Honda Classic. shot was on the next hole, In this July 22, 2018, file photo, Francesco Molinari of Italy plays Molinari played bogey-
He went with 5-wood, where his 6-iron to a back a shot on the 18th fairway during the final round for the 147th free in the final round at
which he thought was right pin settled just under British Open Golf championships in Carnoustie, Scotland. His lob Carnoustie while all of his
wedge clinched the Open and was among the defining shots
enough until he started far- 2 feet for birdie. The 11th of the year. challengers made mistakes
ther right than he wanted. hole at TPC Potomac at Associated Press over the final few holes of
It was getting dark, and Avenel Farm yielded only the British Open.
Thomas couldn’t see. “All one other birdie in the final and plopped down 3 feet 9-IRON He wasn’t in the last group.
I was looking at was the round. Molinari shot 62 and away to square the match, Koepka is most proud of his The Open wasn’t over. After
water to see if it splashed,” won by eight. which the Americans won 9-iron into the par-3 17th for a clutch drive that avoided
he said. It didn’t. He saw a 7-IRON on the 18th. It was as lucky par because it was such a a bunker on the 18th, the
tiny white dot on the green, hard green to hold. But it Italian hit lob wedge to 5
and the two-putt birdie on was his 9-iron to a back pin feet and holed the birdie
the par-5 18th gave Thom- on the par-5 16th hole at putt, effectively clinching
as the win. Shinnecock that settled 3 his first major champion-
3-IRON feet away. The birdie gave ship.
Just about every tourna- him a two-shot lead in the PUTTER
ment brought a moment U.S. Open with two holes to The most memorable shot
that indicated Woods was play. with the putter didn’t go
back to being Woods. One PITCHING WEDGE in the hole. Phil Mickelson
of those moments was the Woods thought it was the only wanted to make sure
opening round of the BMW moment that would lead to it didn’t go off the front of
Championship at rain-soft- victory in the British Open. the 13th green on Saturday
ened Aronimink. From 242 He was in a bunker on the at the U.S. Open. So he trot-
yards on the par-5 16th, 10th fairway and looked ted over and slapped at
Woods hit a 3-iron high and almost certain to lay up the ball as it was still mov-
straight. short of the burn. Instead, ing , an egregious rules vio-
It landed 8 feet in front of Woods generated enor- lation.
the hole and stopped 5 In this June 17, 2018, file photo, Phil Mickelson reacts after sinking mous speed with a pitch- Mickelson says he knew
a putt on the 13th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open
feet next to the pin for an Golf Championship, in Southampton, N.Y. It was on this hole in ing wedge for a shot that the penalty (two shots)
eagle on his way to a 62. It the third round where Mickelson purposely hit a putt while the narrowly cleared the vet- and liked that better than
was the first time he had at ball was rolling off the green. ted face of the bunker and having to play from off the
least a share of the lead af- Associated Press came up a few feet short green. He also knew his U.S.
ter any round in five years. of the green. Open was over. He made
4-IRON Jason Day had a one-shot as any shot in the Ryder It would have been the a 10 and shot 81, matching
Koepka had a one-shot lead at the Wells Fargo Cup. And it still didn’t help signature moment, except his worst score in the only
lead with three holes to Championship when he the Americans end 25 years that he made double bo- major he hasn’t won.q