Shots That Defined The Year In Golf
20129 U.S. Open Champion Gary Woodland - Share Alike 4.0 International
By DOUG FERGUSON, Associated Press
Every club in the bag had a story to tell this year.
Some of them were breathtaking, such as Gary Woodland boldly going for the green on the 14th hole at Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open. Some of them were devastating, such as Francesco Molinari going into Rae’s Creek at the Masters.
What follows are 14 shots from every club in the bag of those who won majors, those who didn’t and some who didn’t win at all.
DRIVER
Jordan Spieth was in range of the lead Saturday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am when he hit a drive so far left on the 13th hole he had no idea where it was. He looked along the edge of the adjacent ninth fairway. He even went down toward the ocean in case the ball ran through the ninth fairway and over the cliff. Finally, it was found 150 yards off the tee after striking a tree. Spieth made double bogey, and then another on the 18th with a drive off the rocks and into the ocean. It was the one club that contributed to a second straight year without a win.
3-WOOD
Gary Woodland had a one-shot lead in the final round at Pebble Beach, with Brooks Koepka one shot behind and applying enormous pressure. He had 263 yards on the par-5 14th. Miss left and there’s no chance to get it close. Out-of-bounds stakes were on the right. He pulled 3-wood and narrowly cleared a cavernous bunker, leaving him a simple up-and-down for birdie that sent him to his first major.
2-IRON
For the first time in 68 years, the British Open returned to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the homeland of Rory McIlroy. This is where he shot 61 to win the North of Ireland Amateur, heralding his future as a star. This is what the people came to see. And on Thursday, after a raucous ovation, McIlroy hit 2-iron left and out-of-bounds. He made quadruple-bogey 8 and wasn’t around on the weekend.
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