Video: Zach Johnson's All-World Challenge Hole-Out
Stellar stuff today at the final Northwestern Mutual Challenge at Sherwood Country Club, with Zach Johnson holing out this 65-yard shot from the drop area to make par. That forced a playoff which Johnson won over Tiger Woods on the first hole of sudden death.
Geoff
**From Doug Ferguson's game story, writing about the 18th hole of regulation:
"It looked to me like it was going to be a very, very difficult 4 for him," Johnson said about Woods' bunker shot. "I'm trying to get somewhat around the hole and make a 5. It wasn't exactly a full wedge shot, but it was one that I could be aggressive with - 58 yards, trying to hit it about 52, 53, and we saw what it did."
The ball took three bounces, the last one just beyond the hole, and it stopped and spun back a few inches into the cup.
"A little too dramatic for me," Johnson said.
Woods hit a bunker shot just as exquisite to about 2 feet for a par that gave him a 70 and forced a playoff. They finished at 13-under 275.
Reader Comments (51)
Maybe Tiger is finally realizing that even winning more golf tourneys has not "solved everything" as he sees his kids ever few weeks or so.
Maybe it was Notah Begay's fault for saying on the 9th hole "Well if he holes this, it'll be the final nail in the coffin." At the time I thought, wow, Notah, try to not be quite such a homer dude, we all know you love Tiger, but gee whiz.
Really not a great weekend of golf for him all things considered, although Saturday was tough by anyone's standards. Still, he had a comfy lead heading into the back nine on a course that he's played extremely well on over the years, and he let it get away from him.
He has to putt better to sniff Jack's record, no two ways about it.
The ball started at the flag and finished right and probably a bit short. It could be called a slice, maybe, but definitely not a shank. When the ball first left the club, it was heading straight at the flag.
tiger was grinning in zach's direction wen the wedge shot went in on 18, great stuff
Walking up to the drop area with his hands in his pockets he looked a little chagrined, bordering on defeated, but I think he figured if he could make a bogey he still had a still chance. I'm still not a fan, but certainly an admirer.
(Just wondering what the protocol is for when they employ a drop zone, not making a comment regarding the outcome of the tourney)
George
Tiger played well one day (and it was great great golf) the rest of the week, thurs, sat, sun he played like a guy who hadn't touched a club in the last three weeks, probably because well, he hadn't. Skiing and hanging in Vail isn't really conducive to your golf game. Zach on the other hand shot 3 rounds in the 60's. And Zach played a fantastic last 8 holes, birdieing four them. Generally speaking with a 4 shot lead and 8 to go, even par (which Tiger shot) will get it done. As Tiger said Zach :got" him
Good point. Tiger has moved to a fade under Foley but is still squirting a little 5 wood out there 25 yards short of Zac Johnson's driver. I thought the point of a power fade was to let you rip it off the tee but know you'll find it in the fairway. Why not take a bigger club and get it down on flat ground 140 out? Then he hits a little poofter slice with a seven iron and a quavery putt he used to make in his sleep. Where's his killer instinct? Pardon the pun, but Tiger is not the same cat.
TW was a good interview staing that the LAST 3 holes were all near chip ins By ZJ.
All good stuff. Bubba was not on, or he could have been right there.
Kinda wanted Woods to win his last go at Mash Mountain. Too bad.
And that BS rock work in the front of 15 is just dumb looking, on one of the finest looking courses in the country. Those rocks could be paper mache for all they add to the ''reaLISM'' OF THE POOL.
oops.
BTE, the 16th/7th at The Hills, where the Kinko's Champ tour play was for years has a REAL waterfall, the first I know of, and the one they all try and be like, and fail miserably.
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I studied the look on Tiger's face those last couple holes. Whatever he was thinking I can't remember seeing it before, much less during a tournament. Maybe I'm imagining this, but it seemed like the usual anger at his own inconsistency these past few years was replaced for a while with something a lot like resignation, or at least weariness.
elf, I noticed you didn't answer BrianS' question, but in the course of things managed to both attack the messenger and try to spin a cover story for Tiger. (Who was he skiing with, considering his girlfriend's torn knee - Steiny?) Way to go, two kinds of pathetic in one post!