Woods, Azinger personified ‘thrill of victory’
Memorial is site of some of golf’s greatest shots
Tiger Woods won’t tee it up at the Memorial on Thursday, but his presence will be hanging over the 16th hole like a flop shot from heavy rough.
It was from behind the 16th green at Muirfield Village Golf Club in 2012 that Woods pulled off one of the most memorable shots in Memorial history, holing out from the rough to tie Rory Sabbatini, then closing the deal with a birdie at No. 18 to win his fifth Memorial title and 73rd PGA Tour win, tying Jack Nicklaus.
“It’s one of the hardest ones I’ve pulled off,” Woods said of the hole-out.
Nicklaus took it further, gushing, “I don’t think, under the circumstances, I’ve ever seen a better shot.”
Woods’ gutsy play — the flop shot was especially treacherous because of the pond across the green — ranks high among “thrill of victory” moments at the Memorial.
Not to be outdone, Jon Rahm holed out from the rough at No. 16 en route to winning the 2020 Memorial, but his magic moment was quickly undone when officials issued a two-stroke penalty after ruling the ball moved slightly as Rahm addressed his Tiger-like flop shot for birdie.
Paul Azinger’s hole-out from the sand left of the 18th green to win the 1993 Memorial makes it a trifecta of wedge shots – joining Woods and Rahm – that stand out among the most amazing closing runs at the tournament Nicklaus hosts.
Yes, there have been clinching putts and tournament-saving putts, but there is something about holing out from off the green that electrifies crowds like nothing else. What is a hole-in-one, after all, but a hole-out from long distance?
About that, the one incredible finish missing from Memorial history is an eagle 2 at No. 18.
But the possibility awaits this week, even if history leans against players carding 2s on 18, especially in the final round.
Since the first Memorial in 1976 only 10 eagles have occurred on Muirfield’s finishing hole, and only two in the final round: Larry Mize in 1996 and Ryuji Imada in 2007.
Given the numbers, if Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth or Justin Thomas need to eagle No. 18 on Sunday to win or force a playoff, well, don’t hold your breath. But if somehow it happens, that same breath will certainly be taken away.