Video: Ryan Moore Almost Aces Riviera's 10th

Ryan Moore came very close to the first par-4 hole-in-one since Andrew Magee at TPC Scottsdale.

Several of you noted that CBS's Ian Baker-Finch criticized the reaction of the ball after clipping the cup. He was referring to the 2009 changes to the hole by the Fazio Design crew that deepened the run-off and which have tainted the hole's reputation this week when combined with the amazingly firm, fast conditions. I wrote about the changes back then.

Anyway, what's done is done. The shot can still be savored:

Comments

[DJ Watts]

286 Yards, with that equipment and the course conditions? Pffft... Arnie's shot at the '60 US Open was driving a par-4. This hole is missing the windmill, if you're going to call it a par-4

[Chuck]

Perhaps because I have played Riviera and I think so very highly of it; but today's CBS broadcast was one of the worst I can recall. Gary McCord was wondering "How do the members play this course?" It's by not tricking up the greens with hyperfast speeds, at least that's a start.

I think that they are missing Peter Oosterhuis already. Feherty's okay. McCord is slipping into sillyland. Jim Nantz has lost a step. Faldo, remarkably, continues to shine. Ian Baker-Finch seems fungible.

I really used to love CBS golf coverage. It's a bit disappointing right now. Which is too bad. Riviera is such a special event.

[munihack]

I wrote the other day on this hole and to me the difference between a strategic hole and a silly hole is what kind of shots are rewarded vs punished. This hole this year became "silly" to McCord because it punished all shots equally. When the results of different strategies are the same the hole becomes arbitrary. The USGA does this the most and it is mostly to protect par. It appears while watching on tv the players have just decided to hit and hope knowing they have no control in the outcome. This hole used to accept certain shots around the green if they were played well. It now repels all shots. Everyone must play it but I hope it doesn't decide the tourney this year. The back half of 17 at Pebble Beach was the same way in 2010 at the US Open.

[BrianS]

I guess the issue is - why should anyone attempt to put it on the green ? Since it appears the green won't accept a driver shot no matter how seemingly well placed, the strategy is where to lay up to. Hopefully then with a wedge trajectory and spin, you could knock it close for a birdie. But going for the 2 ? Not happening.

[DT]

I played the course about three weeks ago. On #10 the pin position was similar to today's pin. I hit driver and was about 20 yards short. Spun a wedge into the green and 2 putted for par. A better player could have easily made the birdie putt. Sure, the green speed is up for the PGA tournament, but I don't see what all the criticism/fuss is about. This is one of the most celebrated short par fours in America. Why all the outrage all of a sudden? It a great hole.

[AG]

Not a particularly interesting hole in my book, but seems obvious that driver isn't the play here. Why try for an eagle you won't get and give up a relatively routine birdie?

[Wee Egg Mon]

Watched it live with my daughter from the grandstand behind the green. Man how I wish it had struck the pin and dropped in the hole! That back left slope does seem a bit over done in my opinion. Seems like they could keep the drop off from the edge of the green on down, but level out the putting surface a bit so that shots like Moore's would at least be rewarded with an eagle putt.

Right after that, got to see Sergio Garcia extricate himself from the back left bunker on 10...while playing the 13th hole! Used a 4-iron no less and made a rather miraculous par on the hole.

Oh, and about 30 minutes after that, I ran into and chatted with our esteemed host as he followed the lead group. Great to see a golf writer actually out on the course. Most tend to camp out in the media center and watch the action like we do, on TV. Geoff was very gracious and welcoming, even though I was interjecting myself in his place of work.

That sequence alone made the trek out to Riviera more than worth it!

[meefer]

That shot shows how #10 has been tweaked too far. I enjoy watching Moore's swing, very rhythmic.

[Croz]

He's hitting a driver into a four par, it stands to reason that it's going to lip out at a higher rate of speed than if he'd dropped an iron into the green, ala a par three...so I have no problems with the ball lipping out and running off of the putting surface in this situation.

Hole No. 10 at Riviera exposes a current problem with today's Tour players: they can't hit pitch shots like guys on Tour used to be able to hit, say 20 years ago. Furyk plays this hole the same way every time, because he can hit an 80-yard pitch with precision. He lays up, dials one in with his approach, a long pitch shot, and makes birdie or par.

The driving range I frequent has an old oil drum 75 yards out into the range. I generally begin and end my range sessions trying to hit one in the can. It's a shot that's easy if you have the correct technique and set-up, and if you're hitting that 75-80 yard pitch from a fairway lie, you'll get it to spin or check. That's why I think Hole No. 10 at Riviera is a beauty, and I find the problem is the Tour players of today get themselves in too much trouble by hitting driver, probably because they can't pitch the ball the way their elders used to be able to. It's a growing trend on Tour. Lackluster wedge games.

[KS]

At those green speeds #10 is a silly hole, even for those that lay up.

[Chicago John]

@Croz
Sorry but your post just shows you are completely out of touch with what is going on. If you don't think everyone on tour can hit a 75 yard shot then you have no concept of how good everyone of the players is. The reason many aren't choosing the "Furyk" way is that they are worried about too much spin.
The pin yesterday is a good example: you have roughly a 5 yard window to keep the ball on the green: You have to hit the last 2 yards of that window and then spin it back no more than 3 yards. Go long of that 2 yard window and it's over the green, leave it short (again a TWO YARD window from 75 yards) then it spins back and off the green.

Some like to watch tour players suffer, but I think to most people it's apparent that #10 is WAY over that balance between fair/difficult.

Sorry, but Ryan Moore's shot was an absolute clown show for those setting up this course. LOL @ the people on here saying "Why expect a green to hold a driver?" He landed it on an upslope in the fairway and was basically dying it in the hole.

The only way to play the hole today with the right side pin location is to hit it hole high on the left part of the fairway. So you have to hit it 290-300 and land it in about a 15 yard wide spot at it's widest.

[Pro from Dover]

The green ruins an other otherwise great golf hole. Too much luck involved in playing this hole successfully at the current green speed. Take a green a put enough slope (away from the player) and speed on it and you can make any golf hole "tough" to play. That does not make it a "good" golf hole. Too similar to the green at #14 at Pebble Beach. Good shots should be rewarded accordingly. Asking the best players in the world to hit and hope is ridiculous.

[P-Dog]

I'm sure #10 is on someone's radar for renovation. Just don't go with Fazio again. Hanse, Doak or even Crenshaw/Coore would surely be able to bring back a retro look while keep the tour pros thinking. Probably doesn't need much more than a reclamation of what exists. Find the old green outline, push the bunker encroachments back and it's good to go.

[Principal's Nose]

"exposes a current problem with today's Tour players: they can't hit pitch shots like guys on Tour used to be able to hit, say 20 years ago."

You are kidding aren't you Croz? Today's ball is so much better and the wedges / grooves are as well. If you think today's players can't hit a 80- yard "pitch" as you say, then you are not paying close enough attention. Keep it hitting in the Oil drum......yeah, that's the ticket. That really compares to playing #10 at Riviera...

@ Croz "and I find the problem is the Tour players of today get themselves in too much trouble by hitting driver, probably because they can't pitch the ball the way their elders used to be able to. It's a growing trend on Tour. Lackluster wedge games."

You get out much?

[3foot1]

Ask Jack Nicklaus how well Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker hit their wedges.

[digsouth]

After seeing a player go back and forth between the bunkers with the pin in back on Thursday ( I believe) it is obvious that the ''turtlebacking'' is just dumb. Fix the green, and let' see good shots rewarded, and I'm not tqalkig about Moore's drive, I'm talking about good wedges.

[Easingwold]

@3foot1

2 players who would hit an iron off the 10th tee no doubt