Pre-Majors Site Practice: Should It Be Controlled?

[Daryl]

Phils preparations may have given him the second place, but it did not give him the win.

In the end the ability to hit fairways and greens counted, and Phil had it going terribly wrong by hitting only 2 fairways - although he hit irons on two holes.

On the final hole Phil hit his bread-and-butter major go-to baby cut. Did not hit the fairway. Did not hit the green. Did not even hit the green after 4 shots.

And Monty. All the work was done. In the middle of the fairway. On the last hole. Hit the green and putt twice for THE WIN. Or take a bogey for a playoff.

It went horribly wrong.

I think that's what prompted Johnny Miller's comments. Don't lose sight of some basic fundamentals: Hit the Fairways, G.I.R., never be short on a Birdie Putt, Go for birdie but protect par, go for par but protect bogey, no double bogeys.

I have never seen golf being as cruel as yesterday.

You haven't seen me play. And I don't get a half-million.

[Sonic_Doom]

Maybe the final round is an indication of Phil's preparation. He had a chance to win on the 18th tee even though he clearly was not in control of his golf swing. That's what practice can provide: knowledge to bail out improper execution. Where can I miss it and still save par?

In the end I feel this one boiled down to the gut-check. Phil and Monte both had far more to lose by finishing second than Ogilvie.

PGA should limit access to sites by mega stars, they get enough perks with their stardom. All event participants should get the same opportunity.

CW

[EdZ]

Bones should be fired for not forcing Phil to chip out on 18, or insisting that he hit something other than the driver off the tee!

Part of a caddies job, keeping their player for doing something DUMB - not once, or twice, but THREE times (Phil should have chipped out, even after hitting the tree on his second, to ensure a good CHANCE at a bogey for the playoff.

Monty - he had it, and his mental game let him down. He rushed, you could just see it. An "anyways" (Zen Golf). I wonder if he has considered using Clear Keys?

All that said - Ogilvy played well, consistent. A well deserved survival of the Champion at Winged Foot.

[metallion]

Bones should be fired for not forcing Phil to chip out on 18, or insisting that he hit something other than the driver off the tee!

From the interview I understood they considering the 4-wood, but it would have left a very long approach. So they opted for the off-the-shelf day-in-day-out cut baby driver.

And could not believe the result. The shot was not just off the fairway. It was far left of the crowds. It hit the roof of a spectator tent and bounced back into the crowd. It was a bad, bad shot. Probably the worst he hit all week - by far.

But deciding to go for the green from that place - on a day when the swing is clearly off - seems like a bad idea.

For some reason his swing must have been terrible on that Sunday. Hitting 2/14 stinks. Especially when using irons on two tees. Of which at least one did not find the fairway.

Field average for fairways hit was 46,1% on Sunday.

On the other hand he hit 11/18 greens. 61% is clearly better than the average of 54,6%.

30 putts was also better than the average.

So what was the problem?

The double-bogey on 18.

Field average was 4.44 on Sunday. Phil lost 1,6 shot to the field on that hole.

The teeshot did not cost him the title, but the second shot cost him his only double-bogey of the tournament.

(Monty had two double-bogeys. The second one on the last hole after needing 4 shots to get from the deep rough within 10 yards from the flag and into the hole.)

Such a cruel day.