PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Wyndham Clark took seven strokes off his score on 13, 14 and 15 before playing the final three holes even par overall. McIlroy also won in 2021, and needed all of the five birdies he picked up over the “last meal” holes to offset playing 16 through 18 in one over par in beating Abraham Ancer by a stroke. Every player knows what’s coming when they head into the Green Mile, but when they stand on the 13th tee, the only colour they’re seeing is red. BEST RECENT SA PERFORMANCES IN PGA Louis Oosthuizen T-2 in 2017 & 2021 Tim Clark Third in 2003 Ernie Els Third in 2007 Branden Grace Third in 2015 Ernie Els T-3 in 1995 Ernie Els T-4 in 2004 Branden Grace T-4 in 2016 Ernie Els T-5 in 2003 Retief Goosen T-6 in 2005
green was altered in 2018 with the ad- dition of two new hazards set into the slope ten yards to the right of the green, but these don’t generally bother the professionals. Players know they must make a four here, and those odds in- crease in proportion to how close they get to the green with their second shots. During the Wells Fargo, three-quar- ters of the field typically attempt to hit the green in two, and over the last five tournaments 131 second shots have found the putting surface yielding 35 eagles to just 135 bogeys. The result is that the 15th has played to a stroke av- erage of 4.59 (as it did during the 2017 PGA), making it the easiest on the course and usually one of the most favourable scoring par 5s on the PGA Tour.
During Rory McIlroy’s 2024 five-stroke victory, he played these three holes four-under par on Sunday. This penultimate stretch of holes be- fore the difficult finish will have a criti- cal impact on how players fare during the PGA, as it does during the regular tour event. During Rory McIlroy’s 2024 five-stroke victory, he played these three holes four-under par on Sunday and six under overall, compared to two over par through the Green Mile. In 2023, winner
EAGLE TERRITORY The 15th is one of the most gettable par 5s the professionals play.
Trevor Immelman T-6 in 2007 Note: Els had 6 top 10s in PGA
PHOTOGRAPH BY CARLOS AMOEDO
90 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2025
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