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SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — On Tuesday, Adam Scott visited the interview room at the U.S. Open as he prepared to play in his 100th consecutive major start. After a few questions on the milestone accomplishment, I asked him if there is a shot at Shinnecock Hills that is unique to championship golf.
“There are quite a lot of shots here,” he said. “I don't know if it's the most iconic shot, but the second shot into 10 I think is fascinating.”
With 18 holes remaining to crown a champion, I’m beginning to see why he chose that shot.
Named Eastward Ho, the 10th is 415 yards and arguably the most iconic hole that William Flynn designed here. A blind tee shot masks a split-tiered fairway with a high, short left side and a long, low right side. They both lead to the base of a 40-foot hill, atop of which sits the green.
The tee shot is relatively straight forward; layers aim over the left side of the right fairway bunker and anything on that line that carries more than 215 yards will make its way down the hill, leaving an approach of 50 to 100 yards.
That is where the fun really starts. And also where the U.S. Open could be won or lost.
The perched green runs off both long and short. The elevation of the approach means shots skip farther and spin less than typical wedge shots. That's a fact Rory McIlroy found out on both Friday and Saturday, thinning his second shot in Round 2 over the green and failing to get enough spin on his approach during Round 3. Both shots finished in the swale beyond the green. Both shots resulted in bogey.
Warren Little
“It's mostly a wedge,” Scott said on Tuesday. “It's not often that we get scared with a wedge.”
And scared is the right word.
Playing behind McIlroy on Saturday, Keith Mitchell hit a driver, landing 353 yards down the fairway, briefly rolling toward the green, before settling 53 yards from the hole. I overheard him telling the other caddie in his group that he wasn’t trying to hit the green, only get on the upslope to help him stop the second shot.
It didn’t work.
Like McIlroy’s, Mitchell’s approach skipped past the hole, tried to grab but released over the green coming to rest 35 yards beyond the flag. And like McIlroy, he wasn’t able to save par.
Overall for the week, the 10th hole ranks as the third hardest hole. The field has played it in 125 over par, with 37 percent of players making bogey or worse. This despite the fact it’s the fourth shortest par-4 at Shinnecock and has played downwind every day.
One man who managed to survive it on Saturday was tournament leader Wyndham Clark. His long iron off the tee landed at 249 yards but ran more than 100 yards down the fairway. He, too, was also unable to stop his wedge approach shot on the green and faced a similar third shot to Mitchell and McIlroy, albeit from a few yards closer.
Then came some magic.
As John Boderhamer, the USGA chief championships officer, said earlier in the week “they have choices.” He was referring to the run off areas at Shinnecock and the short grass around the greens. “Sometimes players don't like choices, but we're giving them a multiple choice examination this week,” Bodenhamer said.
Clark aced the exam. Unlike the high route that Mitchell and McIlroy chose, Clark bumped his wedge shot into the upslope on the green, popping it on top and rolling out to five feet. He, of course, rolled in the putt.
If Clark lands the chip one yard shorter, it could come back to his feet. One yard farther and it risks revisiting the shallow he hit his second shot from. A brave shot, executed to perfection.
On Sunday, the greens will be faster and the putting surface will be firmer. The challenge will remain the same. Whoever wins will have to survive the “scary” examination the 10th hole at Shinnecock presents.
Continue reading...
“There are quite a lot of shots here,” he said. “I don't know if it's the most iconic shot, but the second shot into 10 I think is fascinating.”
With 18 holes remaining to crown a champion, I’m beginning to see why he chose that shot.
You must be registered for see images attach
Named Eastward Ho, the 10th is 415 yards and arguably the most iconic hole that William Flynn designed here. A blind tee shot masks a split-tiered fairway with a high, short left side and a long, low right side. They both lead to the base of a 40-foot hill, atop of which sits the green.
The tee shot is relatively straight forward; layers aim over the left side of the right fairway bunker and anything on that line that carries more than 215 yards will make its way down the hill, leaving an approach of 50 to 100 yards.
You must be registered for see images attach
That is where the fun really starts. And also where the U.S. Open could be won or lost.
The perched green runs off both long and short. The elevation of the approach means shots skip farther and spin less than typical wedge shots. That's a fact Rory McIlroy found out on both Friday and Saturday, thinning his second shot in Round 2 over the green and failing to get enough spin on his approach during Round 3. Both shots finished in the swale beyond the green. Both shots resulted in bogey.
You must be registered for see images attach
Warren Little
“It's mostly a wedge,” Scott said on Tuesday. “It's not often that we get scared with a wedge.”
And scared is the right word.
Playing behind McIlroy on Saturday, Keith Mitchell hit a driver, landing 353 yards down the fairway, briefly rolling toward the green, before settling 53 yards from the hole. I overheard him telling the other caddie in his group that he wasn’t trying to hit the green, only get on the upslope to help him stop the second shot.
It didn’t work.
Like McIlroy’s, Mitchell’s approach skipped past the hole, tried to grab but released over the green coming to rest 35 yards beyond the flag. And like McIlroy, he wasn’t able to save par.
You must be registered for see images attach
Overall for the week, the 10th hole ranks as the third hardest hole. The field has played it in 125 over par, with 37 percent of players making bogey or worse. This despite the fact it’s the fourth shortest par-4 at Shinnecock and has played downwind every day.
One man who managed to survive it on Saturday was tournament leader Wyndham Clark. His long iron off the tee landed at 249 yards but ran more than 100 yards down the fairway. He, too, was also unable to stop his wedge approach shot on the green and faced a similar third shot to Mitchell and McIlroy, albeit from a few yards closer.
Then came some magic.
As John Boderhamer, the USGA chief championships officer, said earlier in the week “they have choices.” He was referring to the run off areas at Shinnecock and the short grass around the greens. “Sometimes players don't like choices, but we're giving them a multiple choice examination this week,” Bodenhamer said.
Clark aced the exam. Unlike the high route that Mitchell and McIlroy chose, Clark bumped his wedge shot into the upslope on the green, popping it on top and rolling out to five feet. He, of course, rolled in the putt.
If Clark lands the chip one yard shorter, it could come back to his feet. One yard farther and it risks revisiting the shallow he hit his second shot from. A brave shot, executed to perfection.
On Sunday, the greens will be faster and the putting surface will be firmer. The challenge will remain the same. Whoever wins will have to survive the “scary” examination the 10th hole at Shinnecock presents.
Continue reading...
