Pro throws 2 in the water – then gets a ‘big break’ after an interesting rules talk
Golf station
Charley Hoffman’s first ball? It was quickly destroyed, no question.
But he asked one of the second.
Would Jason Day and Sepp Straka mind going 175 yards or more to check it out?
It all made for exciting theater on Sunday during the final round of the PGA Tour’s American Express event. There were two water balls from Hoffman on the 208, par-3 13th at the Pete Dye Stadium Course. There was back and forth. There was the question of rules – which likely put Hoffman’s fate in the hands of his teammates. There was an answer.
Starting the hole, Hoffman was tied for second, three back of Straka, before twice bogeying his tee shot down the left side of the hole. He fell a few meters ahead and tried again, before the ship sailed and re-entered the water.
But he did that it is possible crossed a small piece of turf that jutted out from the water – and was it near the green?
He had it, he could fall there. If that was the case, he would have avoided hitting the third ball where he had already washed two.
Hoffman spoke to his child. Andy Barnes. He talked to Day and Straka, who played with him. The golf station’s microphone picked up some of the conversation.
Said Hoffman, talking about his football: “I’m in.”
Suku said: “Yes, come in.” As if sitting…”
Said Hoffman: “It landed right next to…”
Suku said: “Like on the wall.” [that separates the water from the hole]. …”
Hoffman said: “I won’t do anything unless you say it’s OK.”
Straka said: “I’m like 75 percent sure it passed.”
That is, it is not 100.
So Hoffman asked:
“I think we must be sure that it has passed. … Do you want to go up and have a look?”
Straka said they would.
The move would speed up the game – if Hoffman joined them and it was determined that his ball had not fallen, he would have to zip back to where he had previously hit. There was also a high level of trust involved – both Day and Straka may have only decided Hoffman’s fate, while thinking about their upcoming shots, from the green. The reassuring call from his playing partners — and not calling himself — earned praise from Golf Channel analyst Johnson Wagner.
Straka and Suku went up. He looked around. Day pointed back at Hoffman.
Hoffman took a thumbs up and went up.
Wagner said on the radio: “That’s a big break, otherwise he’ll be playing that song for the third time.”
Course analyst Billy Ray Brown said: “Jason and Sepp decided that there was a small contour to the left of the green that was slightly out. I think it fell right there before it went into the water. And that’s a little short and to the left of the rack. “
From there, Hoffman took two club-length drops, which put him on the green, and triple-bogeyed. After five holes, he signed off on a one-under 71, and finished tied for fifth.
“Once your teammates decide that,” Brown said of going down, “it eliminates the doubt.”
“>
Source link