I hate revising history, but with Brandel Chamblee placing Dustin Johnson's Sentry Tournament of Champions tee shot atop the list of greatest shots in golf history got me thinking.
Should we revisit past TOC's at Kapalua to see just how profoundly out of character DJ's drive was compared to year's past? Could there be others that should be displacing ho-hum shots on this list:
My 10 favorite shots ever hit on the PGA Tour
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) January 8, 2018
10)Phil 2nd/13’10 Masters
9)Jones’2 Iron/18’23 USO playoff
8)Jack 16 ‘86 Masters
7)Woods 15/‘OO AT&T
6)Jack17/72USO
5)Woods 18/‘00 Can. Open
4)Palmer at 1‘60 USO
3)Worsham 18‘53 World Champ
2)Sarazen15th/‘35 Masters
1)DJ 12th‘18 TOC
Turns out, shocker of all shocker to those of us who have watched Kapalua for years: players have driven right down in front of, or on the front edge of the 12th green since ShotLink has been tracking shots (around 2006). I know, I know but never inches from the cup to win golf's 21st major.
Brandel described the difficulty of the shot in defending his case this way: "It was downwind/crosswind but not into a funnel, the green sits at the bottom of a hill, but the hill propelled balls into the right short bunker, to avoid the bunker you have to challenge the left side of the fairway, where a miss left could easily lead to a lost ball."
Scary! And...how it plays most years.
I randomly first pulled up the 2006 Mercedes Championship records, went to the pressure-packed round four, and what do you know but three players in one group drove within 54 feet of the hole.
But only Carl Pettersson converted that drive into an eagle the way DJ did. Granted, he probably had to chip in to do it, but I say, move over Sarazen double eagle! We have a new greatest shot for second place!
Okay, but you say the shot will not be shown 20 years from now "when he’s being inducted into the Hall" because, barring a late career surge of epic proportions, Pettersson won't be headed to the HOF.
Whatever!
As for Brandel's barometer that "nobody has ever hit a longer straighter shot that mattered more," I think "matter" is relative. Maybe to Carl that eagle mattered a whole bunch? For all we know, it could be the lifetime earnings difference between getting in PGA Tour Champions events or having to Monday qualify? Or maybe he paid for a first class upgrade home with the extra dough?
Chamblee said "DJs drive will likely be the signature shot of his career and the defining shot of this generation of great athletes coming to golf." But given that the Pettersson eagle was a decade ago, maybe we need to revisit his, Sergio Garcia and Wes Short Jr.'s amazing athleticism that helped them drive within mere feet of where DJ hit the greatest shot ever?
Anyway, this is all for your consideration, listmakers!
PS - DJ drove just in front of the green at the 2017 event despite soft and wind-unfriendly conditions. Cue that tape, too, for his HOF induction ceremony!
