"It was a 5-iron from 164 yards"
/Doug Ferguson writes that Tiger's putt was nice, but the approach on 18 Sunday at Bay Hill was even more amazing. Thanks to reader Patrick for this, which includes quotes from Hank Haney:
It was a 5-iron from 164 yards, and those two numbers are but one example why this was an exquisite shot.
The wind had switched and was coming into him from the right. The flag was tucked behind the lake on a green framed by rocks. Bunkers guard the back of the green, which slopes toward the water.
And the most important detail? Woods was on the 18th hole, tied for the lead.
He could have hit an 8-iron that distance, even in this scenario. It's surprising to hear Woods' club selection over various shots, considering his strength, yet Haney said Woods is all about control, and he prefers to use more club than usual in the wind.
"The hardest thing to do under pressure is play a delicate shot," Haney said. "Under the hardest conditions, you'd rather have a shot that you can swing at hard. All he could talk about was the shot on 18. He told me, 'I knew if I didn't do it right, I could upshoot it into the wind and it's in the water. If I flipped it, I hit it in the back bunker.' He had to commit to do it correctly. And he pulled it off.
"That was phenomenal. That made him feel good."