AP's Doug Ferguson talked to Tony Finau, who played the course twice in November:
Finau said he rarely hit more than a 7-iron [previously] for his second shot after a reasonable drive. That much has changed, but he felt the character of how the hole plays has not.
“I hit 4-iron the first time and 3-iron the second day,” Finau said.
The course is soft and long in the late fall and winter. Once it dries out for the first full week in April, Finau believes the big hitters will hit two clubs less.
“I don’t mind it for me,” he said. “I used to struggle with that tee shot. I like hitting driver, but I have to take it over the corner. Now I can hit it straight and it’s not going to go in the pine straw (through the fairway on the right).
The hole has played 510 yards. Finau said he looked at the yardage plate on the tee and it was 545 yards.