408 yards / par 4 4.26 average in 2018 french open

FOURTH-MOST DIFFICULT

▶ This one is all about where rather than how far. So the perfect place to hit it off the tee is about 260 yards into the fat of the fairway. From there, the most difficult pin placements—the ones that really get your attention—are all in the front half of the green or along the right edge, close to the water. There’s a little bit of movement in the green, which only underlines the need for good placement off the tee.

Put the ball in the fairway, and you have an opportunity to attack, but with the water so close, the risk is always there, so we’ll see some bogeys and double bogeys. A lot will happen down the stretch on this hole.

I don’t see much difference between foursomes and four-balls in terms of strategy, given that everyone will lay up in pretty much the same spot, unless they decide to move the tee way up and give the longer hitters a go at the green. I’m not sure if that will happen, but we’ll be aware of it in practice rounds. I have to say, I don’t see that as a good option. If you decided not to go for it, guys would be hitting wedge off the tee. [ Laughs.] It would be a bit like the 10th at The Belfry. I remember hitting 7-iron off that tee. I know fans love to see players going for the green, but this doesn’t look like a hole where that’s going to happen. But we’ll see. Besides, it really gets your attention on the second shot.