Favorite shot you've seen in competition

[suavemilagro]

Im looking for your favorite shot you saw a pro hit in a tournament...

 

Just a few.. Couples at sawgrass hitting it in the water on 17, then pulling a new ball and landing it IN the cup for a par.

Harrington last year hitting 300 yards out of a fairway bunker and rolling it onto the green, i think that was at the president's cup at Harding.

 

Lets hear yours...

[trapsmv15]

Woods' six iron out of the fairway bunker from 210 on the 18th; 2000 Bell Canadian Open.

[The Gachet]

Tiger's chip-in at the 16th in the 2005 US Masters.

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

I'll throw in a curveball here in what will most assuredly turn into a Tiger love-fest...


Ben Crenshaw, 1986 Buick Open, final round, Par 5 13th. Crenshaw has one shot lead. Hits a four-iron second shot that stops smack dab up against the trunk of a tree in a very heavily wooded area. About 40-50 yards from the pin. He has absolutely no shot right-handed.

With no other option, he pulls a 9iron, turns the club over to play the shot left-handed. He pitches the ball between the trees, unbelievably gets it to check on the green, 4 feet from the hole.....makes birdie, goes onto win the tournament.


Also Davis Love's chip in 1999 Masters, 16th hole. He did it first...

[marcw]

It was at The Memorial a couple years ago. I was walking down #3 and Justin Rose was right in front of me, OUTSIDE the ropes (he had stopped to take a potty break after his drive). I said "Aren't you supposed to be on the other side of the ropes?" He said "Yes, but I wanted to see what it's like over here." A few more words were exchanged and he went back to the fairway to get to his ball. Now I'm thinking "Oh damn, I just talked to a tour player during his round, he is going to miss this next shot and it'll be my fault." Well, he had about 135 to the hole, probably pulled a 9 iron or wedge, and holed the shot for eagle. I was really relieved and happy he made it.
I've seen many great shots in the 15+ years I've been going to The Memorial, but that was the best one that I was involved with.

[suavemilagro]

Id also like to add, Rocca's impossibly clutch putt to force a playoff with Big John at St Andrews... Maybe the greatest shot of all time, and right after a shank'd wedge if i remember correctly. Found it on youtube... captain insaneo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGzKr-VH-50

[outwardnine]

Sandy Lyles 7 iron out of the bunker to win the masters (was this '88?).

I practised that shot for hours as a kid. Almost like the Bill Murray character in Caddyshack.

[Sandman600]

Woods at Firestone..18th hole..8 iron sticks it a few feet..in the dark!

[sergio9603]

Props to Case Sensitive for bringing up Davis' chip in on 16 at Augusta in '99...I knew I couldn't be the only one who knew who did it first.

My favorite, hands-down is Fred Couples' ace on 17 at Sawgrass in 1997...loudest roar you'll ever hear and his reaction was priceless.

[shotmark]

Langer out of the tree in the Benson & Hedges at Fulford back in the eighties.

[MatthewT]

I thought it was dark? How could you see it.

[outwardnine]

The tree that Langer chipped out of now has a plaque in the exact place where he stood. It overhangs the 17th green. What I can't remember is if he made par?

[Justmuckit]

Sergio's first professional ace at the 2008 BMW Championship at Bellerive.

[Bucken77]

Freddie's shot to the 16th at the Players. No way that ball should have bounced the way it did. He followed by making the putt for eagle and then birdied the 17th to win. I think it was '96

[CasualLie]

Too many to have a "favorite".

TW's best by far is 2002 Hazeltine - in a bunker near the lip, awkward stance, trees in the way, 200 yards, and he nukes a 3 iron. That's just ridiculous to be able to hit that shot. I think only one other player has that shot in the bag - Seve.

Don't care much for Daly, but his 100 foot bunker shot to 6 inches to lock up the win at Torrey Pines was a fine example of his incredible touch.

Els hit one of the most difficult bunker shots ever at Muirfield.

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='trapsmv15' date='18 March 2010 - 12:46 PM' timestamp='1268937984' post='2325347']
Woods' six iron out of the fairway bunker from 210 on the 18th; 2000 Bell Canadian Open.
[/quote]
I second or what ever this one... outstanding!

[shotmark]

he two putted for a bogey 5.

[bscinstnct]

Yoda couldn't have made this.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5l50mvNqmA"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=R5l50mvNqmA[/url]




"his eyes are way out there, Murph"-Johnny Miller

[Chappie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIKc1rjZyaU

Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ahWEm9YI3o

[mat562]

The best shot I'ver seen in person was a Faldo 2 iron to the par 5 18th hole at Wentworth's West Course in the 1989 World Matchplay Championship final against Ian Woosnam. It was the 36th hole, with the match all square, and a charging Faldo (he shot an approximate seven-under-par 30 on the afternoon back nine) hit the purest long iron shot I've ever seen for, as it turned out, a match winning eagle after he canned a 25 foot putt from behind the hole.

I can't find any footage of it to post here, but it was simply a breathtakingly pure strike and the most perfect flight you'll ever see on a big iron from about 225 yards out. A soft flighted baby cut that moved no more than a couple of feet at the apex of the flight and thudded down only a yard or two from the hole before releasing on. I had a perfect view right down the line of play and remember it to this day as the best shot I've ever seen in a quarter of a century of watching golf. The strike and flight were literally as good as it gets. Laserlike.

Speaking of long irons, I'm going to go off slightly at a tangent and mention the best shot I've ever [i]heard.[/i] As a 15 year old I stood right behind Greg Norman's 3 iron tee shot into the par 3 17th hole in the playoff for the 1989 Open Championship at Royal Troon. I was only about five or six yards from the ball, and directly behind the shot, and the sound that long iron made - a sort of gunshot-like crack coupled with a sharp fizz as the ball rocketed away - literally gave me goosebumps. The shot was all over the pin, but a bit long, and a shoddy chip cost Norman a bogey and set him well on the way to blowing the championship after that rocket-assisted drive off the 18th that found the 'unreachable' bunker. For what it's worth, that drive was another spine tingler, with a wonderful crack and fizz as Norman bombed a flat power fade away to a sandy grave.

The sound of that 3 iron though was absolutely fantastic. You know all those videos from the '86 Masters that are on YouTube? With Nicklaus and Seve hitting persimmon drivers and irons amongst the pines? Beautiful, evocative sounds the lot, but not a patch on that 3 iron of Norman's though. For all the great shots I've [i]seen[/i], my memory is every bit as vivid when it comes to hearing that shot of Norman's in my head. It sounded fantastic when I watched a video of it afterwards, but from a few yards away it was incredible.

[Tim Delgado]

[quote name='The Gachet' date='18 March 2010 - 01:50 PM' timestamp='1268938242' post='2325354']
Tiger's chip-in at the 16th in the 2005 US Masters.
[/quote]


Of course. #1 by a MILE.

Tim

[Need4spd]

I don't know if it's my favorite or not, but the 3 iron Tiger hit on I believe it was 18 out of the fairway bunker at Hazeltine in the 02' PGA Championship was just ridiculous. Just a flat out impossible golf shot.

[StixItClose]

1993 World Cup of Golf at Lake Nona. I'm 12 and went with my dad. We normally like to walk around and follow our favorites, but for some reason decided to park right of the 18th green, which is a par 5. I'm starting to get a little bored and this ball comes rolling up to the green, takes a turn, and goes in. We obviously know who's in the group in the fairway, but couldn't see who hit the shot because there's a ridge in the fairway. Couldn't even see the guys from where they were, but only one of the guys in the group had the length for that. Finally, after his partners hit up on the green, Freddy walks up and retrieves his albatross out of the hole. We read in the paper later that it was a 250 yard 2-iron out of the rough. Once I got to play the course, I realized that not only was he blind to us, but the green was blind to him. Sickeningly good.

[Awsi Dooger]

1978 Doral Eastern Open. Tremendous duel between Nicklaus and Weiskopf. They were paired for 36 holes on Sunday after a Saturday rain out. Easily the best golf I've ever witnessed in person. It was a regular event version of Turnberry 1977, a match play situation with everyone else lapped. Mahaffey finished five shots back of second place.

Weiskopf outplayed Jack tee to green all day and took a 4 shot lead into the final round. But the crowd was heavily pro Jack and he responded with a fantastic stretch beginning on the par 3 9th. He chipped in for birdie. On par 5 #10 he chipped in for eagle. Weiskopf maintained his level of play and had the advantage on the long par 5 12th. He was leaning on his putter on the front far right of the green as Nicklaus prepared for his 3rd shot, left side near the bunkers, maybe 60 yards away. Pin was back. The crowd behind the green was electric, mumbling that Jack might do it again. But the thought was so ridiculous. This was a much longer shot than the two he'd holed.

I was standing as close to the hole as possible, back left of the green. When Jack's shot arched beautifully and spun into the cup for another eagle, I had a perfect angle to view Weiskopf, directly behind the pin from my perspective, as the crowd erupted for seemingly a minute. Weiskopf found the most awesome expression, a head turned disgust, like he was being robbed. He glanced at Jack for a few seconds, acknowledging the shot, then grinned and walked forward toward his ball. Jack had responded like Michael Jordan years later against Portland, palms up and semi-embarrassed at the string of hole outs.

The best part was Weiskopf managed a clutch putt to maintain his lead, just as the gallery sensed he might fold. Weiskopf held on to win by one, withstanding Jack's closing 65. When Weiskopf lagged his putt to within two feet on 18, he turned toward Jack with a relieved smile and said, "I finally did it. I beat you." Nicklaus paused and said, "You haven't beaten me yet." Weiskopf: "That putt? I'm not going to miss that putt." It was good natured, two Ohio State guys with the stablemate finally coming out ahead. The dialog is paraphrased, the best of my memory 30+ years removed, but it's not far off. The exchange was widely reported at the time.

[suavemilagro]

Awesome, this is what i was looking for, Real stories, not just a tiger highlight film...Tell your tales, lets keep it going. thanks friends!

[suavemilagro]

[quote name='mat562' date='18 March 2010 - 05:11 PM' timestamp='1268957482' post='2325978']
The best shot I'ver seen in person was a Faldo 2 iron to the par 5 18th hole at Wentworth's West Course in the 1989 World Matchplay Championship final against Ian Woosnam. It was the 36th hole, with the match all square, and a charging Faldo (he shot an approximate seven-under-par 30 on the afternoon back nine) hit the purest long iron shot I've ever seen for, as it turned out, a match winning eagle after he canned a 25 foot putt from behind the hole.

I can't find any footage of it to post here, but it was simply a breathtakingly pure strike and the most perfect flight you'll ever see on a big iron from about 225 yards out. A soft flighted baby cut that moved no more than a couple of feet at the apex of the flight and thudded down only a yard or two from the hole before releasing on. I had a perfect view right down the line of play and remember it to this day as the best shot I've ever seen in a quarter of a century of watching golf. The strike and flight were literally as good as it gets. Laserlike.

Speaking of long irons, I'm going to go off slightly at a tangent and mention the best shot I've ever [i]heard.[/i] As a 15 year old I stood right behind Greg Norman's 3 iron tee shot into the par 3 17th hole in the playoff for the 1989 Open Championship at Royal Troon. I was only about five or six yards from the ball, and directly behind the shot, and the sound that long iron made - a sort of gunshot-like crack coupled with a sharp fizz as the ball rocketed away - literally gave me goosebumps. The shot was all over the pin, but a bit long, and a shoddy chip cost Norman a bogey and set him well on the way to blowing the championship after that rocket-assisted drive off the 18th that found the 'unreachable' bunker. For what it's worth, that drive was another spine tingler, with a wonderful crack and fizz as Norman bombed a flat power fade away to a sandy grave.

The sound of that 3 iron though was absolutely fantastic. You know all those videos from the '86 Masters that are on YouTube? With Nicklaus and Seve hitting persimmon drivers and irons amongst the pines? Beautiful, evocative sounds the lot, but not a patch on that 3 iron of Norman's though. For all the great shots I've [i]seen[/i], my memory is every bit as vivid when it comes to hearing that shot of Norman's in my head. It sounded fantastic when I watched a video of it afterwards, but from a few yards away it was incredible.
[/quote]

Matt as eloquent as ever, Norman is and was the real deal. No one gave it the onion like Greg.

[Toby]

[quote name='outwardnine' date='18 March 2010 - 08:17 PM' timestamp='1268939826' post='2325407']
Sandy Lyles 7 iron out of the bunker to win the masters (was this '88?).

I practised that shot for hours as a kid. Almost like the Bill Murray character in Caddyshack.
[/quote]

My thought exactly! Great shot!
Also wanna add Seve's chip between the bunkers at the last at the Open @ Birkdale (?) in '78, Seve driving the 10th at the Belfry at the Ryder Cup (and everyone ele that has done the same since), about 100 putts by Monty at the Ryder Cup, Lyle bending it around the 13th at Augusta in '88 with a 1 iron, Crenshaw's wicked put at the 10th at Augusta the first time he won, any 3 wood played by Stenson.

Seve's the no 1 wizard in my books:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4Ii_Yxd2Y

Another Euro classic: final at the Chepstow match play championship, early 80's. 1st hole, long par 5, Seve Bállesteros (playing Denis Durnian) played a good drive straight down the middle (yes, it did happened every now and then) and then followed with another driver from the fairway that flew nice and high, landed softly and rolled up towards the cup, then caught the lip and settled less than a foot from the hole. Hole was conceded for eagle. The crowd went absolutely ballistic. The rest of the final was just a moot point...

[muxi87]

[quote name='The Gachet' date='18 March 2010 - 02:50 PM' timestamp='1268938242' post='2325354']
Tiger's chip-in at the 16th in the 2005 US Masters.
[/quote]
x2...I'm not the biggest Tiger fan, but that is the far and away the most memorable tourney moment for me. Nothing else is even close...

[seypat]

I saw Laurie Davies carry a 2 iron 235(to the front of the green) from the rough, uphill all of the way. If you never saw her play in person during her prime you missed something special. The LPGA tour was Laurie proofing courses long before Tiger came along. In fact if the Laurie proofing had never happened Annika might never have had the career she had.

But by far the most impressive shot I ever witnessed was in a Nationwide event. I was a caddie at the Nationwide event in Glen Allen Va(Dominion Club) for a few years in the late 90's. My player and I get to the tee on Thursday and he pulls me aside. He tells me that one of the players in our group is the longest player he has ever played with or seen. He points him out and tells me to watch him. His name was Ryan Hietala. Look him up on the PGA site. Anyway, this guy is hitting it past the 2 others all day long with a 2 iron. During Friday's round it is raining pretty hard and the wind is howling. The Dominion Club has a par 4 that you can try to drive the green over a lake or play safe and lay up around it.(#15 I think) Ryan is hovering above the cut line and needs to make something happen. So we get to this hole. It is a 268 carry to the front of the green from the front of the tee box. But our tees are at the back and we are playing into a 2-3 club wind. So my player and the other (which was Dave Berganio?) quickly hit irons to the safe fairway. We then move and wait for the green to clear. Ryan pulls the big dog and lets it rip. We watch it fly and then Berganio and my player look at each other and start shaking their heads as we head off. The rain is on my glasses so I don't see it land. I asked my player where it landed. He turns to me and says, "he flew it into the bunker behind the green on the hill!" So I whip out my yardage book and add up the numbers. 306 to the front of the bunker! He FLEW it at least 306 in a steady rain into a 2-3 club wind! You had to have been there! And yes he got up and from the bunker for birdie and ended up making the cut.

On a side note, on that same hole during a volunteer playday I tried to drive the green from the front tee. I did not hit a good ball and it went swimming. Dropped my 3rd and holed a wedge for a birdie myself.

[Fore_Man]

Always thought this was a pretty good shot.... check out the 2nd shot from the bunker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHTtED2ZzdY