Par-5s could decide the winner here
The key to scoring well at the Albany Golf Course has always been the par-5s and it is no different at the ongoing World Challenge.
The reason is simple: The Ernie Els designed course has an extra par-5 on the front nine, making it five in all. That gives the players — especially those with the ability to get onto the green in two — the advantage. This translates into an opportunity to knock in an eagle or two and certainly gives great birdie chances.
Add to that a couple of ‘reachable’ par-4s and the course becomes very rewarding for those who get to greens in regulation.
CUSTOM-MADE COURSE
First day leader of the World Challenge, JB Holmes, one of the longest hitters in the game, may well think the course is custombuilt for him, as he had three birdies and an eagle to be fiveunder for the five par-5s.
“Well, I don’t necessarily think the course is made for me. A lot of people shot some good scores. A lot of the par 5s are reachable for a lot of people. But, yeah, anytime you get five par 5s, you can put up some good scores,” said Holmes.
Holmes had a history of vertigo and two brain surgeries in the span of five weeks in September-October, 2011, but he has been very consistent, winning once each in 2014 and 2015. Despite a paucity of wins this year, he had five top-10 finishes, including T-4 at the Masters and T-3 at the British Open.
Holmes was not the only one killing the par-5s. Japan’s 24-year-old rising star Hideki Matsuyama, who has three wins in the last five starts, was also five-under for the par-5s with three birdies and an eagle.
Dustin Johnson, one of the biggest bombers on the Tour went one better, by getting at least birdies on all the five. He had birdies on four and an eagle on par-5 sixth to be six-under for the par-5s. Overall, he was six under with one other birdie and a bogey.
But the man, who found par-5s frustrating was Henrik Stenson, who was only three-under on them, “I find the par 5s pretty frustrating,” said Stenson. Clearly, the others will disagree with him.
Now compare that with Tiger Woods, who in his heydays would grab birdies by a bunch at the par-5s. On Thursday, he had three birdies and two bogeys on them and was just one-under on them. That sure hurt him.