Sitting under the ropes on the 15th hole at Aronimink GC watching the final group on the tee what I was about to witness will stay with me for many years. Ricky, KJ, and Nick all pulled their drives into the left rough. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and the air was thick with drama. Ricky started the day in great form, but faltered along the way and was out of contention, but Nick and KJ were tied for the lead. You see KJ had just birdied the prior hole to even things up at the top. Now they were together in the rough. Nick’s ball, however lie in the first cut while KJ’s was further left and deeper. The hole and indeed the outcome of the entire tournament would hinge on their second shots.
KJ hit first with a fairway wood and ended up in a bunker short, left, and well below the green. Nick hit his second to a similar distance, but leaving him with a perfect lie in the fairway. KJ would end up taking 4 more swings to complete the hole with a 6, while Nick got up and down from the fairway. A two shot swing.
Another double bogey comes to mind when Phil pulled his drive at the 18th at Winged Foot in 2006 US Open. His futile attempt land his second shot on the green ended up costing him a chance to win the Cup. What do you do when you find yourself leading the tournament but knee-deep in trouble? Take 6 out of play.
By aiming for a spot in the fairway short of the green, Nick took 6 out of play. Getting up and down for a 5 would be an acceptable result and much more easily accomplished from the fairway than from the bunker or the rough. Is your objective to make the play of the day by hitting the green from deep rough over 150 yards away? Or, is it to get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes? You decide. But, for Phil and KJ their results may have been improved by taking 6 out of play.
