Tiger and Phil Who?
Playing in an event he has won seven times, Tiger was terrible. Every round he played was over par and his final round was one of his career worst shooting a +7, 77. His tournament total, 18 over par. He finished tied for 78th just 30 strokes off behind the winner, Hunter Mahan.
When asked if golf was still fun, he responded with "Absolutely not. I don't see how golf can be fun shooting 18 over par". Maybe I should send him my scorecard and let him know I still have fun.
Tigers terrible finish opened the door for Phil Mickelson to become number one ranked player in the world. A finish in the top four at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. He has spent 257 weeks ranked #2 in the world and his disastrous final round of 78 (7over) was embarrassing. Was the pressure too much for Phil? His putting was less than great while his short game, which he's known for, was nothing short of terrible. A final round with one birdie when you have the chance to become the best player in the world is something that might haunt Mickelson for a while.
Hunter Mahan Wins WGC Bridgestone Invitational
Unlike Tiger and Phil, Hunter Mahan remembered what this event was about. Winning. His -12 was enough to hold off Ryan Palmer who was in the final group and secure his spot on the Ryder Cup team. His game proved it's not all about how far you can hit the ball. He finished tied for 21st in driving distance and 30th in driving accuracy. So how did he do it?
He finished tied for 3rd in putts per round, 1st in putts per GIR (Greens in Regulation), 9th in GIR's and 3rd in sand saves. He didn't miss many greens and when he did, his putter was there for him. If you're going to have a good round, you'll need your putter.
Bill Lunde Wins Turning Stone Resort Championship
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