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One of many greatest occasions within the PGA Tour calendar takes place this month, with round the clock protection of The Gamers at TPC Sawgrass reside on Sky Sports activities’ devoted Gamers Championship channel.
What makes TPC Sawgrass such a difficult take a look at and why has no golfer been in a position to dominate The Gamers? Mike McAllister takes a have a look at what makes the PGA Tour’s flagship occasion so powerful to win…
Some programs demand energy. Muscle. Brawn. Success is set by a golfer’s means to overpower the obstacles – which on this case can normally be discovered on the scorecard below complete yardage.
Different programs demand finesse. Technique. Accuracy. Success is set by way of course administration and shot-making, the flexibility to maneuver by way of tight spots and keep away from penal areas.
Forward of The Gamers, reside on Sky Sports activities’ devoted Gamers channel, have a look again into the event archives and luxuriate in among the finest putts ever made at TPC Sawgrass’ iconic par-three seventeenth.
So what does the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass demand of the 144 golfers hoping to say The Gamers Championship title annually? Effectively, it calls for all the things.
“It is an excellent take a look at in golf,” Collin Morikawa stated. “It actually assessments all facets of your recreation.”
Two-time PGA Tour Gamers of the Yr, Dustin Johnson, added: “The golf course may be very demanding. You have to drive it nicely, hit it nicely, putt it nicely. I imply, you have to do all the things.”
In different phrases, the important thing to success is troublesome, but easy. What makes Pete Dye’s historic course – celebrating its fortieth anniversary of internet hosting the PGA Tour signature occasion, having first performed so in 1982 – so distinctive is its egalitarian trait. No course gives extra social equality – it favours everybody and but favours nobody.
You do not have to be the longest hitter, or essentially the most adept shot-maker, or a streaky-hot putter to win The Gamers. You simply must be the perfect golfer that week.
A glance again at the perfect of the motion from the ultimate spherical of final yr’s Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Jon Rahm, who may lose his world No 1 standing this week, stated: The golf course is such a great design, no one has ever dominated it. The most effective participant really normally wins it, proper?”
Rahm’s views are echoed by Australian Marc Leishman, who stated: “You want each single shot round there – attracts, fades. You could hit these photographs on the proper time – after which hit these photographs below strain. For those who come to the top of that event, it’s essential to execute below the best strain. It does not reward one sort of participant.”
The wrestle for Sawgrass dominance
There aren’t any horses for programs at TPC Sawgrass. In essentially the most telling facet of this anybody-can-win strategy, contemplate the one participant who has by no means gained on the Stadium Course – the defending champ.
Within the 40 years at TPC Sawgrass, simply 5 golfers have gained The Gamers twice, and none in consecutive years – Fred {Couples} (1984, 1996), Steve Elkington (1991, 1997), Hal Sutton (1983, 2000), Davis Love III (1992, 2003) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2013),
Actually, no defending champ has actually come shut. The most effective end is a tie for fifth – Tom Kite in 1990 and Sutton in 2001-and the closest margin is 4 strokes off the successful rating.
The final time a defending champ even completed inside the highest 10 was Adam Scott, who tied for eighth in 2005. The truth that earlier success will not be a figuring out consider how the leaderboard will form up makes it a rarity amongst golf programs.
The Gamers Championship Stay
March 8, 2022, 2:00pm
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So if TPC Sawgrass does not reward previous efficiency, and it does not give heavier weight to any specific fashion of play, is there any particular facet that it does reward? You may argue one factor: Nerves of metal.
“It is on the calibre of a serious championship,” says Rahm, who tied for ninth final yr, his finest lead to 4 begins at TPC Sawgrass. “It is an unofficial main and I feel it may very a lot full any individual’s profession.”
Sarah Stirk and Wayne Riley take a better have a look at the issues going through the gamers on the par-three seventeenth, the place 34 balls ended up within the water throughout the opening day in 2021
Because the PGA Tour occasion with yearly the deepest area in golf, it is actually the toughest take a look at in relation to the calibre of competitors, so the strain is already there earlier than gamers even step as much as their first tee photographs within the opening spherical.
However when you’re in your recreation, you ought to be in competition on Sunday. You’ve got saved a gentle hand, handled the excessive stakes, and have given your self an opportunity to win. Then, you attain the 71st gap.
The Gamers Championship Stay
March 10, 2022, 11:30am
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It is the long-lasting island-green seventeenth, arguably essentially the most recognisable gap on Tour. It is solely 137 yards, however yardage means nothing on this gap. It is a easy take a look at of braveness. Can you discover the small patch of inexperienced in the course of a lake whereas hundreds of followers lined up alongside the outlet watch your each transfer?
Muscle does not matter. Finesse does not matter. The one factor at this second is how bravely you strike that wedge or quick iron. The island inexperienced has provided a few of golf’s most indelible moments, resembling Tiger Woods’ “Higher Than Most” putt within the third spherical in 2001 that fuelled his first Gamers win.
Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay and Ewen Murray have a look again at one of the iconic putts in PGA Tour historical past.
There was Sergio Garcia, kissing his putter on the seventeenth in 2008 after beating Paul Goydos in a play-off. There was Rickie Fowler, who birdied the seventeenth not as soon as, not twice, however three occasions within the ultimate spherical in successful a playoff in 2015. A fearless feat which will by no means be matched, as he birdied the seventeenth 5 occasions in six makes an attempt that week en path to his greatest skilled victory.
After all, the following yr in his title defence, Fowler missed the lower. That is the way it goes at The Gamers. Outcomes don’t favour the previous, nor predict the long run. They merely replicate the current. That is why 144 gamers will arrive at TPC Sawgrass, every hopeful that it is going to be their week.
Resumes don’t matter – solely the standard of play throughout the 4 rounds of competitors.
Who will win The Gamers? Watch all through the week reside on Sky Sports activities’ devoted channel – Sky Sports activities The Gamers! Stay protection begins on Tuesday with the ‘Stay from The Gamers’ present on Tuesday at 2pm.
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