How to shoot 63 at AGNC

[Bob_Huntley]

There must be dozens of references here about the playing of Numbers 13 and 15, to go for it in two, or not.

Back in 1986 Nick Price laid up on every par five as did Johnson, the only difference being that Price had ten birdies on the day and shot 63.

I would hazard a guess that No. 15 (and possibly No. 12) has buried many a contender's chances as at any other hole on the course.

Bob

[rjsimper]

Has a ball ever stopped on the bank like Couples on 12?  Every time I see someone miss the 15th short, whether with a long shot that comes up shy or a wedge spinning off, it's always somehow riveting television...that same camera shot from the left of the green following the ball all the way down the bank and into the water.

DiMarco used a lay-up on 15 2 years ago with great success.  

I thought the most interesting play of all was Goosen hitting iron off the 13th tee and making the decision one shot before everyone else was making it.

[David_Tepper]

Ryan -

The banks on the ponds & creeks at AGNC were not always as closely mown as they now are. The year Couples' ball stayed up on the bank of #12, there was a strip of longer grass above the water that kept the ball in play. At the next year's Masters, the grass on the bank was shaved all the way down to the water.  

My guess is that the edges along the water on #13 & #15 were shaggy in the old days as well.

DT

[John Foley]

One of the best plays of the whole tourney was Tigers decision on Saturday to lay up on 13. He could have nuked something over Rae's Creek and got on or near the green.

Instead he lays up to 90 yargs, perfect angle and he hits the low wedge. Skips once & stops next to the pin for easy birdie.

Why didn't he remeber that shot on Sunday??

[Michael Whitaker]

I know how I can shoot 63 at Augusta National... quit after nine holes!

[tlavin]

There must be dozens of references here about the playing of Numbers 13 and 15, to go for it in two, or not.

Back in 1986 Nick Price laid up on every par five as did Johnson, the only difference being that Price had ten birdies on the day and shot 63.

I would hazard a guess that No. 15 (and possibly No. 12) has buried many a contender's chances as at any other hole on the course.

Bob

15 won the Masters for Nicklaus in '86.  He went for the green in 2 and made 3. Ballesteros went for the green in 2 and made 6.  The two-shot lead disappeared and Ballesteros shrank from contention while Jack's confidence swelled, culminating with the birdies at 16 and 17.

[Brian_Sleeman]

The first shot that springs to mind that actually stayed on the bank between the pond and the 15th green was Norman's in '96.  You might recall him nearly holing the chip shot that followed and then falling to the ground as it curled past the edge of the cup.

I can't think of any others off-hand but I'm sure there have been some, as I don't recall them making as big a deal over it staying up as they did with Freddie on the 12th in '92.  The Norman one sticks out more because it was basically his final chance that day.

[A.G._Crockett]

One of the best plays of the whole tourney was Tigers decision on Saturday to lay up on 13. He could have nuked something over Rae's Creek and got on or near the green.

Instead he lays up to 90 yargs, perfect angle and he hits the low wedge. Skips once & stops next to the pin for easy birdie.

Why didn't he remeber that shot on Sunday??

Much different day on Sat.; more wind, lower temperature.  Besides, he made 3 at 13 on Sunday by going for it!  The heat Tiger is taking today is for going for 15 in 2.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

It was very difficult to go for two last week. The wind was in their faces on 13 and 15. It was a surging wind that jumped around from 2 clubs to 4 clubs plus on Saturday and 1 to 4 clubs on Sunday. Thursday only 1 in 5 or 6 players went for it on 13 and fewer on 15.

[Kalen Braley]

One of the best plays of the whole tourney was Tigers decision on Saturday to lay up on 13. He could have nuked something over Rae's Creek and got on or near the green.

Instead he lays up to 90 yargs, perfect angle and he hits the low wedge. Skips once & stops next to the pin for easy birdie.

Why didn't he remeber that shot on Sunday??

Much different day on Sat.; more wind, lower temperature.  Besides, he made 3 at 13 on Sunday by going for it!  The heat Tiger is taking today is for going for 15 in 2.

And i'm not sure why tiger is taking heat for that.  At the time he was 3 down with 4 to play.  He must have known that 17 and 18 aren't good bird chances, so he was thinking he had to get a 3 there and a 2 on 16 to have any chance at it.  It wasn't until after he finished 15 that Zachery bogied 17.  

So I don't blame him for going for it with the knowledge he had at the time..

[Rick Shefchik]

I thought he should have hit a five-wood instead of the 5-iron to 15. Going for it was not a bad decision, but he didn't have enough bat, given the lie and the wind.

Let's say, in case anyone thinks I'm claiming superior golfing judgment to the world's number one player, that it looks in retrospect like he didn't have enough club.

[cary lichtenstein]

Easy to shot 63, pickup at that point, otherwise, forget it.

[Doug Siebert]

He hit into that pond on the very right edge, so he may have had the right club, but just cut it too much and it went short right of his intended line.  If he'd cut it 20 yards less (so it would have hit the middle of the green) it would have gone far enough to clear the pond.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

I thought he should have hit a five-wood instead of the 5-iron to 15. Going for it was not a bad decision, but he didn't have enough bat, given the lie and the wind.

Let's say, in case anyone thinks I'm claiming superior golfing judgment to the world's number one player, that it looks in retrospect like he didn't have enough club.

It's much harder to fade a 5-wood around a tree than it is a 4-iron, even for Tiger.