That would have to be the last hole at Winged Foot in the 2006 U.S Open, when I made a double bogey to lose, I had to wait for my playing partner, Vijay Singh, who had hit it way left – so far left it ended up in two hospitality tents and he needed a drop.
Long story short, the whole process took nine minutes. It felt like an hour, but nine minutes just to play his second shot. Meanwhile, I’m sitting there in the fairway, ready to go.
At first, I thought it was a 7-iron. Then I changed my mind to a 6-iron. Then back toa 7-iron. After that much waiting, it’s almost impossible to stay completely positive. Unfortunately, I caught it a little heavy and left myself in the worst spot.
If there’s one shot, I wish I could have back, it’s that one. But the truth is, you have to play all 72 holes, not just 71. Looking back, I think today I would have just gone ahead and hit. Of course, we have the ‘Ready Golf ’ rule now.
I wish I’d just stepped up, hit the 7-iron, and left it under the hole. The flag was tucked on the right, I fade the ball naturally, and honestly, it was probably easier to make birdie there than the six I ended up with.
How has the game of golf changed most since you first turned professional?
Without doubt it’s the equipment. The ball and the clubs have changed golf remarkably.
I am not saying all in a positive way but in length and accuracy it has changed everything, the balls fly further higher and straighter through technology and the clubs have so much more forgiveness built into them, allowing players to hit harder without the fear of missing fairways.
How much do you continue to learn at this point in your career?
If I don’t learn after every round of golf, it’s been a complete waste. I learn something knew about myself, about the ball, about the clubs, about the lies, about what to do.
I learn something; and you must take something from every round of golf and I still do.
