Alejandro Tosti’s brave line on 13 separated him from the field.
ESPN/ShotLink
Renowned sports psychologist Bob Rotella encourages golfers to have a “conservative technique and a good swing.”
Alejandro Tosti seems to have heard only the second half, because as he played Valhalla’s signature 4 on Sunday’s 13th at the PGA Championship, Tosti kicked. consecutive on the edge.
The Argentine champion got off to a good start in his first major tournament this week, opening with 68-69 to complete a comfortable weekend and earn a Saturday slot with Rory McIlroy. But Saturday was not one to remember for the 27-year-old as he picked up four doubles en route to a 79. That put him in dead last to start on Sunday, and in the first team out on Sunday morning was Jeremy Wells.
All this meant that Tosti didn’t have much to lose on Sunday.
And at 13, he played like that. Valhalla’s signature hole played as one of the easier holes this week, with nearly every player laying next to a stream that crosses the fairway, then hitting a flip wedge into an island green marked by a waterfall.
Through three rounds, more than 89 percent of the field found the green in regulation and the hole had stopped 111 birdies.
Longest drive of the week on the 354-yard par-4? Only 279 meters. At least until Tosti arrives on Sunday morning.
As the tee was pushed forward a little, Tosti took dead aim for the small island green and toasted (fried?) the driver. Tosti is known on Tour for his big drives (7th in drive distance) and his great attitude. Earlier this season, he and Tony Finau had an “icy” exchange about the order of play.
He was coming off a bogey on 12 when he aimed for a run on the 13th green.
While it was remarkable for the Tour pro to attempt a shot off the tee – which is about 315 yards before the green, itself 20-25 yards wide – it was even more surprising when Tosti’s ball dropped slightly. place, it took a sloping place and stopped just six feet, 11 inches from the hole.
It was a shot that neither player attempted all week, even during practice, according to the CBS broadcast crew.
“I don’t think we’ll see leaders do that, but it’s possible,” Curtis Strange said on ESPN.
Tosti converted the putt for one of the best eagles in tournament history.
“I don’t care what you shoot, you’ll have a memory of it,” Strange said.
Tosti made another bogey on 15, but birdied 17 and 18 on his way home to get back even with the tournament.
As of this writing, the only other player who attempted to drive the green was Jordan Spieth, after more than five hours. Spieth’s ball hit the water short of the green.
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