Cantlay Defeats DeChambeau in Epic 6-Hole Playoff to Win 2021 BMW Championship

 

Patrick Cantlay Defeats Bryson DeChambeau in Epic 6-Hole Playoff to Win 2021 BMW Championship 

(image: Darron Cummings/AP)

 

It was a final round for the history books this year at Caves Valley Golf Club, but at the end of it, Patrick Cantlay emerged victorious. The Long Beach native defeated Bryson DeChambeau in an epic six hole playoff to capture his fifth career PGA Tour win and third this season. The two finished their final rounds at 27-under par and three shots clear of Sungjae Im, a new tournament record.

 

With this win, Cantlay rises to 1st place in the FedEx Cup Rankings, with a clear (and numerical) advantage heading into the Tour Championship. He also clinches the final spot on the US Ryder Cup team and receives a cheque for $1.7 million.

 

 

TENSIONS RISE AT THE 14TH HOLE

Cantlay and DeChambeau were neck and neck throughout their finals rounds. The two had already separated themselves from the rest of the field and you could not help but feel that one of them was going to win.

On the par 4 14th hole, however, things started to heat up. As DeChambeau stood in the fairway, ready to take his second shot, he paused suddenly, turning to Cantlay and asking him to stop walking. Cantlay, who apparently had been walking, just caught the view of DeChambeau as he was in his shot routine. 

 

This was something quite unusual, as noted by commentators Paul Azinger and Dan Hicks, who questioned whether calling out Cantlay was worse, in terms of concentration-breaking, than the act of walking itself. Sure enough, DeChambeau landed his second shot far from the hole, leaving him a tricky birdie putt. Cantlay seized the opportunity, landing his second shot on the green, then sinking a 21-footer for birdie and a co-lead. 

This sparked what would turn out to be one of the best ends of a tournament I've ever witnessed. It appeared things had gotten personal for Cantlay, you couldn't tell it though, through his calm, focused demeanor.

 

On the par 5 16th hole, Cantlay found trouble off the tee, landing into deep rough, then laying up again into the rough. He managed to sink an 8-foot putt to save par. DeChambeau, after a monster drive and approach, two-putted for a birdie and one-shot lead at this point. 

On the par 3 17th hole, again Cantlay struggled. His first shot found the water short of the green, but he was able to hit a remarkable drop shot to just 8-feet, then sank the bogey putt, his first clutch putt of many more to come. DeChambeau had the upper hand though, keeping his tee shot dry, but in the rough just short of the hill. Forced to chip, something he had avoided all day, DeChambeau landed his shot on the fringe, but still short of the hole. A two-putt later and he too made bogey. 

DeChambeau, with his distance off the tee, had a clear advantage with his approach on the par 4 18th hole. Left with only 150 yards, DeChambeau stiffed his wedge shot to just 12 feet. At this point, things were looking good for him, but what he did not account for was just how clutch Cantlay could be when it mattered most. After finding the round with his tee shot, Cantlay found himself on the 18th green with a 21-foot putt for birdie, one he needed to make to have any chance. In as calm as he was all day, Cantlay assessed the line and sank the putt, putting the pressure on DeChambeau for the first time. But, in a lapse of judgement, DeChambeau missed the putt to win, to everyone's shock. It was a similar putt to the one he missed during his second round to shoot 59. 

Yet again, another playoff was required to decide a tournament. Little did we know though that a battle was about to begin: on one side, the long-driving, overpowering DeChambeau, on the other side, a laser-focused, clutch-putting Cantlay. On the line, not only a win, but 1st place in the FedEx Cup rankings and an advantage at winning $15 million.

 

 

A PLAYOFF LIKE NO OTHER

The stage had been set, two different players with two polar opposite approaches on the game, set to battle it out. Back to the 18th tee box the two of them went. Both Cantlay and DeChambeau found the fairway, with DeChambeau ahead by a considerable amount; something we saw all day. But Cantley's approach found the deep rough, while DeChambeau was 17-foot from the green. Again advantage DeChambeau, but Cantlay was not out just yet. He chipped on and nearly holed out, his ball coming to rest five feet from the hole. He sunk the par putt and the pressure was back on DeChambeau. But yet again, DeChambeau missed the putt to win and parred. 

Once again the two returned to the 18th tee box. Once again, they were in the fairway and DeChambeau ahead. Determined not to let off, DeChambeau again stiffed his approach shot, this time to six feet. Surely this was game over for Cantlay, who landed short but on the green, with a large mound separating him and the hole. Cantlay hit his birdie putt but could not land it within DeChambeau. Not deterred by this though, Cantlay again sank a massive 7 foot putt for par. Yet again, the pressure was back on DeChambeau, who... yet again missed his birdie putt for the win. 

 

At this point, it was hard to believe what was going on. 

To the par 3 17th hole, for what was the third playoff hole at this point, the two went. In a rare moment of consistency between the two players, both Cantlay and DeChambeau landed about 20 feet from the hole and two putted for par.

 

The playoff continued and returned to the 18th hole, where this time DeChambeau found trouble off the tee, landing his tee shot into a creek that ran along side the hole. But a good wedge from DeChambeau left him five foot for a par, which he sank. Cantlay found the fairway and two putted for par as well.

The playoff had now entered its fifth hole, played again on the 17th. Again DeChambeau hit a beautiful tee shot to about 6 feet, but not to be outdone, Cantlay followed with a tee shot to two feet, both excellent shots considering what was on the line. Both made their birdie putts and the playoff continued again.

At this point, many were questioning what would give out first: Cantlay's amazing clutch-putting or DeChambeau's accuracy off the tee. For the fourth but final time, the two returned to the 18th tee and found the fairway. This time though, DeChambeau hit his approach shot to about eight feet, but faced a difficult downhill putt. Cantlay landed his approach shot to about 17 feet, but despite the further distance, had the easier putt. In what was perhaps his most impressive putt all day, Cantlay sank his birdie putt with authority, putting DeChambeau in that all too familiar pressure putt situation. Unfortunately for DeChambeau, he missed his putt to extend the playoff, handing Cantlay a well deserved victory. 

 

This playoff was the epitome of the golf phrase we've all heard: "drive for show, putt for dough" and boy was that true for Cantlay today. 

 

It's hard to explain just how clutch Cantlay's putting was. I think I speak for most people when I say that this was the absolute best playoff I have ever seen in all my years watching and covering the PGA Tour. It was unprecedented. Cantlay was downed many times, but not out. I have never seen so many clutch putts and in such pressure situations. If he missed any one of his putts, DeChambeau would have won.

 

For those who could not watch the playoff live, I highly recommend checking out video of the playoff holes. The PGA Tour's TOURCast web-app is a great way to see this too and offers clips and shot paths of each hole.

THE TOP 30: WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT

With the conclusion of the BMW Championship, the Top 30 in the FedEx Cup rankings and thus the field for the Tour Championship, has been set.

Erik van Rooyen gets into Top 30, finishing in 27th place from a 45th place start. He shot a 65 during his Sunday round that included a clutch birdie at the 18th, which likely got him in, and finished solo third.

Sergio Garcia also gets in, moving up 16 places from 44th to 28th, after a T6 finish. Garcia's final round featured a few bogeys, but these were negated by some excellent bunker shots. 

K.H. Lee went on a birdie streak during his final round, making birdies on the 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th holes. Unfortunately, he found water on the 18th hole and bogeyed, resulting in him finishing one place short of the Top 30, at 31st.

Notable players out of the Top 30 include Webb Simpson, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey, Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and Phil Mickelson.

For a full list of who in the field next week, check out the PGA Tour website HERE.

HOW DID OUR PICKS FINISH?

1) Jon Rahm: T9 at 18-under, 4th

2) Justin Thomas: T22 at 14-under, 6th

3) Louis Oosthuizen: T38 at 10-under, 14th

 

Not bad overall, all three will be playing next week and have a chance to win the FedEx Cup. 

 

***

 

This concludes our coverage of what was hands down the most exciting tournament of the year. Our coverage continues next week with the final FedEx Cup playoff event and final tournament of the year: the prestigious Tour Championship. 

 

Stay tuned for our preview of the tournament later this week!

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

DeChambeau Shoots 60 to Lead 2021 BMW Championship Heading into Weekend

Bryson DeChambeau shoots 60 to lead 2021 BMW Championship

(Image: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)
 

 

The first two rounds of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club have almost concluded with Bryson DeChambeau ahead at 16-under currently. He holds a single shot lead over Patrick Cantlay. DeChambeau carded a 68/60 to take the lead during his Friday round, shortly before play was suspended. 

Friday's round was first suspended due to inclement weather but resumed shortly afterwards. It was then suspended again, this time due to darkness Players who didn't finish their second rounds will do so Saturday morning.

 

Due to the reduced number of players in the field this week, there is no cut. 

 

 

DECHAMBEAU SHOOTS STATEMENT 60 ON FRIDAY

Bryson DeChambeau was on a mission Friday. Starting the day 4-under and in the middle of the pack, he went on to shoot a 60, in a round that included five birdies and two eagles. It was the lowest round of his PGA Tour career.

But a 60 will be slightly disappointing for Bryson. After an impressive second shot at the par 5 16th hole that landed several feet from the hole, he sunk the eagle putt. This set off the 59-watch, need either a birdie on the 17th or 18th to seal the deal. Bryson had birdie putts on both, landing his tee shot on the par 3 17th to about 17 feet and his approach shot on the par 4 18th to about 6 feet. Unfortunately, Bryson missed both of the putts but in his post-round interview, he noted that despite not reaching 59, he was still happy with the round and what he accomplished.

 

This is a statement round for DeChambeau, in my opinion. I think it validates the process he's been on for the past two years. It was interesting to note all the praise DeChambeau was getting from various golf commentators after his round, when just weeks ago at the WGC Fedex St. Jude Invitational these same people were bashing his approach to the game. While DeChambeau's golf has ranged from both ends of the spectrum, none can deny his entertainment factor. Whether he's on or off, he is always a great player to watch.

 

With his round of 60, DeChambeau sets a new course record at Caves Valley Golf Club. It is also the 43rd round of 60 in PGA Tour history, the last shot by Cameron Smith last week at The Northern Trust interestingly.

 

THE ASSAULT ON A STEAMING CAVES VALLEY

The temperatures were sweltering in the high 90s during the opening rounds at Caves Valley Golf Club. The humidity was high both days, which, along with a non-existent wind, led to soft conditions. 

 

Many low scores were had as a result of this. The low round on Thursday was a 64 shot by Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns. The low round on Friday, of course, was DeChambeau's 60, followed by a 63 shot by Patrick Cantlay.

 

During Friday afternoon though, the weather began to worsen, with rain beginning to fall and winds picking up, so much so that a flash flood warning was issued, and round suspended at about 4:30PM. It resumes briefly at 6:30PM, before being suspended again due to darkness.

TOP 30 BUBBLE

As it sits right now, the players around the 30th place cutoff for the Tour Championship next week are: Billy Horshel (T57 at 1-under, 29th), Charley Hoffman (T38 at 4-under, 31st) and Lucas Glover (T10 at 9-under, 32nd). Each will surely be looking to finish strong to stay or get within the Top 30.

Players who made a run to get into the Top 30 so far are Sergio Garcia (T4), who sits at 27th up from 44th at T3 12-under and Hudson Swafford (T6), who sits at 28th from 40th at T5 11-under

HOW ARE OUR PICKS DOING?

Let's check in to see how our picks are doing in the tournament so far:

1) Jon Rahm: T2 at 15-under, 2nd

2) Justin Thomas: T26 at 5-under, 6th

3) Louis Oosthuizen: T60 at E, 13th

 

The momentum continues for Rahm, who co-held the opening round lead with a 64 on Thursday. Thomas will be disappointed with himself so far, given the opportunity for low scoring the course has been offering so far. For Louis, it looks like he needs a bit of warming up to get back into the swing of things. He's still on track to stay in the Top 30 luckily.

***

The weekend is sure to bring excitement and drama, given what's on the line and the potential for changing weather conditions. Be sure to check back to see who has won. 

Also, for more up-to-date info, check out our Twitter feed, which we update live during the rounds.

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball Review

Name: Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball

Price: ~$30 for a dozen in most stores

Features: High Speed Compression Core for maximum ball speed and soft feel, New Hybrid Cover featuring PARALOID Impact Modifier to create exceptional speed and feel with long distance, HEX Aerodynamics for high launch, low spin and straight flight

Value:  

Build/Quality:

Effectiveness:  

Features:

 

Overall Rating:  4.7 out of 5

 

The very popular Callaway Supersoft golf ball has recently been updated. In this latest model, Callaway is said to have improved cover, core and flight technologies, resulting in an all-around ball they claim can make your shots longer and straighter, while still retaining a soft feel. 

Callaway uses a soft compression core for this ball, said to maximize ball speed and create lower spin. The outside cover features Callaway's famous hex dimples, optimized to reduce drag and enhance lift, leading to a higher ball flight and increased carry distance. The cover itself has what Callaway calls an innovative "PARALOID Impact Modifier", essentially meaning the plastic is composed of various materials. This technology claims to allow for both faster ball speeds and low spin as well, yet maintain its soft feel, durability and greenside control. The balls also come in a variety of colors, as well as a gloss or matte finish (image above is of the matte orange finish)

I recently put this ball to the test and here are the conclusions I came to. It's worth noting that the ball was tested prior to me reading any of Callaway's claims, to maintain a non-biased perspective.

NOTICEABLE RESULTS OFF THE TEE

Right off the tee, a difference was noticeable. Shots with my driver, for the most part, traveled further, not so much in carry distance, but roll-out distance, which I attribute to a lower ball spin. This was also seen with my woods, hybrids and long irons. It wasn't a huge increase in distance, about 10-15 yards at most. 

I also found that my shot shapes were more subdued. I tend to draw the ball by a somewhat predictable amount, however I noticed the amount of draw was reduced, leading to an overall straighter ball flight, again with the aforementioned driver, woods, hybrids and long irons.

However, the above results were not as noticeable with my shorter irons.

 

 

A GREAT FEELING BALL

The ball has an absolutely great feel to it, the softness really comes into play when the club contacts the ball. I found it excellent around the greens, especially with wedge shots, and for putting as well. Things were overall more predictable with this ball, especially those tough greenside chip shots that require so much feel and precision. This also applied to bunker shots as well and shots from thicker rough. 

 

Quantitatively this "feel" factor may not have any merit, but what it does give you is comfort and confidence. During my round I was faced with a tough chip over a greenside bunker, with water over the other side. Too short or fat a chip and I'm in the bunker, too long or thin and I'm into the water. I felt super comfortable with the feel of the ball at that point and thus felt more confident in the shot. I ended up landing the ball a foot from the hole for an easy par. Comfort and confidence are huge factors in golf and this ball certainly made me feel that way. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I was truly impressed with the new Callaway Supersoft golf ball. I was not expecting such noticeable results off the tee particularly with shot shape and shot neutrality. And the extra distance, albeit not game changing, was a neat bonus. 

But where this ball shines is probably from 100 yards in. The softness you get with this ball is game-changing, in my opinion, especially with those wedge and chip shots that require so much feel and predictability to get right. 

 

I think this ball is great for golfers of all skill level, in particular those who want a nice ball to work with around the green. I would purchase this ball more for its feel around the greens and shot path control, rather than for increasing distance. Higher handicappers may not find an increase in distance, but will definitely notice the feel around the greens. 

 

The price point is also great, at $30 for a dozen, putting it in the medium range. This makes it a feasible buy for all golfers as well, in my opinion.

 

Do you play this ball? Comment below and let us know what you think of it,

 

 

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews 

2021 BMW Championship Preview and Picks

 Jon Rahm is our top pick this week to win the 2021 BMW Championship 

(Image: Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)

 

 

The second round of the 2021 FedEx Cup Playoffs is here.This week, the Top 70 will travel to Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland for the 2021 BMW Championship. On the line, the chance to get into the Top 30 and gain entry into the final playoff event, the prestigious Tour Championship, and a chance to hoist the FedEx Cup.

Since the field is smaller for this event, there is no 36-hole cut. This has the added benefit of bringing more drama to the event as any player in the field this week can move up the leaderboard on any day, if they play well. It also ensures that every player will be getting a paycheck too. 

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Prior to the creation of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the tournament was known as the Western Open, first being contested in 1899. This makes it one of the oldest tournaments on tour. It has historically been located in the Chicago area, but in the playoff-era courses such as Medinah, Cog Hill and Olympia Fields have played host.

 

Notable multiple winners of the tournament (under both its old and new titles) include Tiger Woods (5), Tom Watson (3), Dustin Johnson (2) and Nick Price (2).

 

In 1985, Scott Verplank won the tournament as an amateur. He became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Doug Sanders at the 1956 Canadian Open. Only one golfer has achieved this feat since: Phil Mickelson in 1991 at the Northern Telecom Open.

Winning the BMW Championship is perhaps a PGA Tour golfer's most important win of the year, aside from majors. Under the new Tour Championship format, a player entering the Tour Championship ranked first will start the tournament at 10-under, a player ranked second starts at 8-under, and so on. Given the amount of FedEx Cup points on the line this week, winning the BMW Championship, in the case of higher ranked players, can launch a player into first place (as we saw with Tony Finau last week), giving them a big advantage heading into the Tour Championship.

The importance of the BMW Championship has even been recognized by the PGA Tour in the past, being named the tour's "Tournament of the Year" from 2012 to 2014. 

CAVES VALLEY GOLF CLUB

Caves Valley opened its doors in 1991 to private membership. Designed by legendary course architect Tom Fazio, the course is sure to test golfers this week, featuring various water hazards, undulating fairways, elevation changes and fast greens (about 12.5 on the stimpmeter). The course has been touted as modern in design, placing 47th in Golfweek's Best Modern Course rankings in 1997.

 

Many have claimed that the course in recent years has had a "Muirfield Village" feel to it. This could be due to the fact that the course's superintendant, Kyle Steidel, previously worked at Murfield Village, and is said to have brought many practices over from there. 

This is the first time that the BMW Championship is being contested at Caves Valley, but the course is no stranger to professional golf. In 2002 it hosted the US Senior Open, then the 2014 International Crown and 2017 Senior Players Championship, as well as numerous amateur events.

 

For the tournament this week, Caves Valley will play as a par 71, measuring 7,226 yards in length. The nines will also be flipped, with players starting at the tenth hole and finishing at the ninth. 

 

The event is speculated to draw up to 100,000 fans this week. The open design of the course however, allows tour officials to space out the fans safely throughout the course. It will also feature some of the tallest grandstands on tour, at a stunning height of up to 30 feet in some locations. This, in conjunction with the natural elevation changes, will create a stadium-like atmosphere on some holes.

OUR PICKS THIS WEEK

It gets tougher and tougher to make our picks, but here's who we are picking this week:

1) Jon Rahm

2) Justin Thomas

3) Louis Oosthuizen

Jon Rahm is the defending champion at the BMW Championship, winning last year at Olympia Fields. He's riding a high wave of momentum coming off his near win last week at The Northern Trust. Justin Thomas is a player who's game I am beginning to appreciate more and more. He always seems to be near the top of the leaderboard, like a modern day Matt Kuchar. He too played well last week at The Northern Trust. Finally, TGR favourite Louis Oosthuizen is perhaps the most rested player in the field, having took the last two week off for injury prevention. Can he bounce back this week with a win?

The BMW Championship kicks off early Thursday morning. It will have a more intimate feel though, given the smaller field size. Nevertheless, be sure to check out our weekend update for all the storylines and drama over the first two rounds.

 

Also be sure to check out our Twitter feed, for live tweets during the rounds.

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Don't Compound Errors: How to Play Smart Golf #1

This is the first article in a new series here at Toronto Golf Reviews called "How to Play Smart Golf". The goal of these articles is to educate golfers of all skill level about the mental side of the game and, in a way, show them how to think about golf. 

 

The mental side of the game is perhaps the most important. A golfer can drive the ball super far, or be super accurate with their irons, but if they make bad golfing decisions, their score and ultimately their confidence level, will suffer. 

 

I should preface these articles by saying that I'm not an expert golfer; I currently play to a 15 handicap. But I have been around the game for long time and know what to do and what not to do in certain situations (even if I do find difficulty in the execution).

 

With further ado, the first topic in this series is how to not compound errors on the golf course.

 

***

 

Making a mistake on a golf course is very common. Nobody's perfect, it's as simple as that. Even at the professional level, we see week after week players making mistakes. The main difference between us everyday golfers and the pros, is how we deal with our mistakes.

 

If a golfer hits a wayward tee shot that finds a fairway bunker, often times they are left with two decisions: a chip back onto the fairway or an attempt to go for the green, say on a par 4. There are risks and rewards to both decisions but the key is knowing your skill level and using this to make an informed decision about what to do. 

This brings us to the topic at hand: do not compound errors on a golf course. It's a relatively straightforward idea, in principle. When faced with trouble on a golf course, don't make a decision that will make your situation worse. 

 

Going back to our scenario above, suppose the golfer decides to go for the green. They have a mid to long iron in hand and take their shot. Unfortunately, it hits the front edge of the bunker and stays inside, closer to the edge, in a worse position. They have just made their situation, and ultimately their score, exponentially worse. 

On the other hand, they could have chipped out with a wedge or short iron, onto the fairway, leaving them a chance to save the hole.

So how do we as golfers know what the right decision is and when to make it? It's a two part thought process, I believe, that involves first assessing the situation you are in, then making a decision based on your physical skill level. Let's explore this a bit more.

 

 

STEP 1: ASSESS THE SITUATION

Let's talk about risk assessment first. For better understanding I'll keep using our example above. Our golfer arrives at the bunker that their tee shot landed in. Immediately, they should being assessing. Is the ball plugged in the bunker? Is it close to an edge? How is the quality of the sand? Will I have an awkward stance? These are the types of questions golfers should be asking themselves when they find trouble. Doing this will allow you to establish if the shot you want to attempt (going for the green in this case) is a high or low risk shot.

 

 

STEP 2: BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR SKILLS AND MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THEM

So the golfer has now established the risk level of going for the green, now they need to make a decision based on their skill level. Golfers must use their judgement of their skill and be honest with themselves, can I really get out of this bunker and make it to the green? If I need my 4-iron to get to the green, will I get enough height at the beginning of the shot to make it out? Can I alter my shot to add more height? Is this long-iron bunker shot something I have confidence in? 

 

This is where things get tricky, as ego may come into play. As golfers, we always want to hit the "hero" shot. Maybe it's because we see so many of them in professional golf and think its easy, or maybe it's something else. But the bottom line is that we need to be honest when we assess our skill level. If a golfer knows that they cannot execute a particular shot or has trouble doing so, don't hit that kind of shot. Don't compound the error and make things worse by going for the "hero" shot. 

 

The best part about this thought process is that it scales with skill level. As you get better as a golfer, you will be able to more accurately assess the risks of a shot and you will be able to hit tougher shots with more confidence. This all adds up to being able to take riskier shots, with less chance of making another mistake and compounding the errors.

A CLASSIC CASE STUDY: JEAN VAN DE VELDE

Even on the professional tours today, we see players struggle with this type of decision-making. A player who currently gets ridiculed for this is Bryson DeChambeau, who has made many interesting decisions in tournaments past. To be fair to Bryson however, a good portion of these decisions have actually paid off and led to much success for him.

Perhaps the most famous case study though is Jean Van de Velde at the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie. 

 

Jean walked onto the 18th tee box with three shot lead. After landing his tee shot in the fairway, he decided to go for the green. His shot was wayward, hitting the grandstands then a stone wall bordering a water hazard, before landing 50 yards back in deep rough. 

 

Things would get worse for Jean though. Deep in the rough and with a water hazard in front of him, as well as a large greenside bunker, Jean decided to go for the green for his third shot. But, his club got tangled in the rough on his downswing, causing him to mis-hit the ball, directly into the water hazard. Luckily, he decided against playing the shot from the hazard and dropped. His next shot landed in the greenside bunker. A chip and a great putt later, he finished with a triple-bogey. He would go on to lose to Peter Lawrie in the ensuing playoff.

 

It's tough to say exactly what the best decision in that situation would have been, but its clear that his decision to go for the green with his third shot was super high-risk, given the rough he was in, obstacles he needed to go over and his three-shot lead. In an alternate reality, suppose Jean decided not to go over the water hazard with his third shot and instead chip it back to the fairway. He would have been left with an easier approach into the green and have a putt for par. Even a two or three putt would have still resulted in a win. Jean's collapse is a lesson to all golfers about the struggles of accurate decision-making in the toughest of moments.

Jean Van de Velde assessing his fourth shot on the 18th hole at Carnoustie during the 1999 British Opem

FINAL THOUGHTS

Developing the ability to assess the condition of your ball after you have hit an errant or off-target shot is an asset to all golfers. It allows you to make an informed decision as to what your next shot should be. Likewise, being honest about your skill level and ability to hit certain shots with confidence can have numerous rewards. Combining these abilities can ultimately allow you to make less errors on the golf course and not compound errors when you do make one; one more step towards playing smarter golf and lowering your scores. 

Like this article? Check out some of our other golfing tips too.

Also, let us know in the comments below about crazy golf situations you have been in,

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Tony Finau Ends Five Year Drought With Victory At The Northern Trust

Tony Finau wins the 2021 The Northern Trust, ending a five-year drought (image: Getty Images)
 

 

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - It took numerous delays, postponements of tee times and a playoff, but the 2021 The Northern Trust has finally concluded with a most deserving winner: Tony Finau.

Finau needed to rally against Cameron Smith in a one-hole playoff first, but not before a spectacular final round performance. He carded a back nine score of 30 today that included a birdie, eagle, birdie stretch from holes 12-14, in addition to another birdie on the 16th hole; good enough for the low round of the day.

This is Finau's second PGA Tour win and first win since 2016, and in 189 starts. Coincidentally, it is also his first win on US soil, as his last win came at the Puerto Rico Open. In addition to a $1.7 million payout, Finau also receives 2,000 FedEx Cup points, enough for a boost from 23rd to 1st in the FedEx Cup Rankings.

 

The win comes with much relief for Finau. Since his inaugural win back in 2016, he finished second in eight tournaments and had 39 top-10 finishes. These numbers are remarkable and highlight just how good of a player Finau is. Many in the past have often criticized him for his lack of wins, but in a true display of his character, he never bought into their criticism.

 

 

YET ANOTHER PLAYOFF ENDING

Again, it took a playoff to determine the winner this week. Both Tony Finau and Cameron Smith finished their final rounds at 20-under, but it was Jon Rahm who was on pace for the win.

 

Unfortunately, Rahm found trouble on both the 15th hole and 18th hole, carding bogeys for both and effectively ending his chances to win. It is interesting to note that from the TV coverage, it appeared that something was bothering Rahm on the 15th tee box, having backed off from the shot a few times. He would go on to land that tee shot in a fairway bunker and things were downhill from then on.

 

Cameron Smith started the day tied for the lead with Rahm, but things were looking grim after a double-bogey on the par 4 5th hole. Despite this, he rallied back and carded four birdies on his back nine. He faced a long putt on the 18th hole for the outright win, but could not sink it.

Back to the 18th tee box Finau and Smith went. However this week, things were less dramatic. Smith hit his tee shot far out of bounds while Finau found the fairway, sealing the deal for Finau, who ended up making a par for the win.

WORST AVOIDED, BUT HENRI LEAVES ITS MARK

Although forecasts of Hurricane Henri's path initially predicted a worse outcome for Liberty National Golf Club, the course was spared the worst, only receiving heavy rainfall and winds for a period of time. 

 

Still, this was enough for tour officials to postpone Sunday's final round to Monday morning, then further tee time postponements to midday on Monday, as rainfall and flash flood warnings were still in effect. Players were put into threesomes and split tees to make the final round as efficient as possible. The Monday round also featured no spectators, as it was deemed too hazardous given the forecasted rain and warnings.

 

This left players in a unique situation, essentially being given the day off on Sunday. For some, the day-off was good, while others found it tedious and unsure what to do with themselves, especially with so much on the line for the tournament. Some worked on their putting in their hotels rooms, while others opted for rest and relaxation. 

54 hole co-leader Jon Rahm saw the day-off as an opportunity for family time, with his four-month baby and wife who were both with him for the tournament this week.

This was the first mid-tournament postponement of a round since the 2019 Zozo Championship in Japan.

 

The staff at Liberty National should be applauded this week, particularly for their work in drying out the course after Sunday's heavy rainfall. 

TOP 70: WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUT

To advance to the second round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs (later on this week at the BMW Championship), players needed to rank in the Top 70 at the end of The Northern Trust.

 

Keith Michell, who started the week in 101st place, needed a good result this week to move into the Top 70. And he did just that, finishing T8, with enough points to get him into the field next week.

For a full list of the FedEx Cup Rankings as of now, click HERE.

CALM BEFORE STORM LEADS TO NEW COURSE RECORD AT LIBERTY NATIONAL

Saturday was no doubt the calm before the storm. With winds low and conditions favorable, Saturday's rounds saw a slew of low scores including a new course record of 60 shot by Cameron Smith. His round consists of six birdies on the front nine and five on the back nine. He played the final five holes at 4-under par on Saturday, which propelled him up the leaderboard to T1 heading into the final round.

Scores of 62 were also shot on Saturday by Erik van Rooyen, Shane Lowry and Canadian Corey Connors.

 

The conditions on Monday were also soft, with more low scores, however a stiff wind was present at times.

The low scoring comes as a stark contrast to the 2013 The Barclays, which saw a pre-renovation version of Liberty National Golf Club. That week, the winning score was 11-under and the low round of the week was a 63-shot by Keegen Bradley. 

There is always debate amongst fans as to what is more entertaining, watching players battle through a tough course or watching them dominate a vulnerable course. Personally, I think both are equally exciting. 

***

That concludes another exciting week on the PGA Tour. The excitement continues (later this week) with the second playoff event: The BMW Championship, where the Top 70 will battle it out to win and ultimately gain entry into the prestigious final tournament: The Tour Championship. Only one will be crowned the FedEx Cup Champion, who will it be?

Stay tuned for our preview post of the 2021 BMW Championship later this week,

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

Rahm Surges Ahead of Uncertain Weekend at 2021 The Northern Trust

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY - The FedEx Cup Playoffs are underway! The first two rounds of the 2021 The Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Club have concluded and Jon Rahm leads the field with a score of 12-under and a single shot lead over Tony Finau. The cut this week has been set at 1-under.

 

Jon Rahm leads the 2021 The Northern Trust heading into an uncertain weekend 

(image: Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)

 

RAHMBO RETURNS

Rahm's skill and abilities were on full display during his first two rounds. He fired off an impressive 8-under 63 for his opening round, which included four birdies on the front nine and four on the back nine. He followed this up with a 4-under 67 on Friday. 

 

He remains bogey-free for the tournament, a streak that was nearly in jeopardy on the par 4 16th hole on Friday. After landing his approach shot left of the green and chipping on poorly, Rahm was left with a 24-foot putt for par. It was a difficult putt, relatively speaking, that broke twice before reaching the hole. But Rahm, who's putting has been hot all week, sank the putt for a clutch par.

A win for Rahm this week would place him first in the FedEx Cup Rankings and make him a favourite to win the FedEx Cup outright heading into the Tour Championship.

THE TOP 70: HOW ITS LOOKING SO FAR

The Top 70 players in the FedEx Cup Rankings will move onto the second round of the Playoffs next week: The BMW Championship.

As it stands right now, the Top 70 "Bubble" includes Seamus Power (69) who sits at T26 at 5-under, Matthew Wolff (70) who was cut and Talor Gooch (71), who shot a 64 today to place him at T57 at 2-under. It will be interesting to see if Gooch and Power can play well on the weekend to stay/get into the Top 70.

Notable players out of the Top 70 include Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Bubba Waston, Adam Scott, Jason Day and Chesson Hadley, who just got into the tournament this week after a good performance last week at the Wyndham Championship.

Players who made the cut are not out of the woods yet. For those below the cutoff, they'll need good performances as do players who are just above the cutoff. It feels like a tournament within a tournament during these playoff events, because that's exactly what it is. Players do want to win this week, but if they can't, they want to ensure they can progress further along in the playoffs.

The biggest jump in rankings thus far goes to Keith Mitchell, who entered the week ranked 101st. He carded a 68 and 64 to put him at 10-under and tied for 3rd. Even better, he jumped 64 spots and theoretically sits in 34th place at the moment.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POTENTIALLY FOR LIBERTY NATIONAL

Liberty National Golf Club in the past has received criticism for its difficulty. This year, despite some windy weather during the opening round, the course played tough but fair. Low scores were had by many players. The low round of the tournament thus far was a 63, shot both both Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas. The second round also saw a slew of 64s being shot.

The weather however, is expected to turn for the worst. Tropical Storm Henri, currently over the Carolinas, is expected to make landfall late Sunday afternoon as a hurricane, with strong winds expected to reach the Jersey City area by Saturday night. It's not known how the storm will affect the tournament, but it suffices to say that officials are keeping an eye on it, no doubt thinking of player and spectator safety first.

Hurricanes have affected the tournament before. In 2011, Hurricane Irene forced the final round of The Barclays, as it was known then, to be cancelled. The tournament was shortened to 54-holes where Dustin Johnson went on to win.

CARRY ON WAYWARD TEE SHOT

Spectators of the second round were treated to a hilarious incident on the 10th hole. Hideki Matsuyama managed to land his tee shot right of the fairway, but directly inside a spectator's shirt. Luckily, he did not have to play the ball as it lied and took relief. Matsuyama, in an act of kindness, then signed and gifted the ball to the fan; a souvenir he will never forget.

Matsuyama ended up landing his second shot just left of the green and finished the hole with a bogey. He sits at T25 at 5-under and 15th in the rankings.

HOW ARE OUR PICKS DOING SO FAR?

Let's check in to see how our picks are faring so far:

1) Phil Mickelson: CUT

2) Dustin Johnson: CUT

3) Collin Morikawa: CUT

Sometimes we pick well and sometimes we don't! Phil Mickelson had a tough couple of rounds, in particular on the par 3 11th hole, which he double-bogeyed in his opening round, then triple-bogeyed in his second round. His position drops him to 67th in the rankings and is now in danger of not progressing in the playoffs.

 

Dustin Johnson had a bit of bad luck as well. Before his first round, he noticed his driver was cracked. He didn't have a replacement driver so he opted to play with two 3 woods, each with a different loft. This no doubt affected his scoring, reducing his driving distance by a substantial amount.

Many have wondered about Morikawa's play this week. It was recently reported though that Morikawa apparently hurt his back during the Olympics and as a result has been modifying his golf swing to make it less painful on him. As many golfers know, back injuries can plague golfers for their entire careers if not handled properly. Let's hope Morikawa is able to make a speedy but appropriate recovery. 

***

And just like that, the first two rounds of the 2021 The Northern Trust have concluded. This weekend is sure to be interesting, given the inclement weather being forecasted and potential for low scores.

Stay tuned to see who has won and who is moving ahead in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews

The Club at Bond Head - North Course Review

 

 

Name: The Club at Bond Head - North Course
Location: Beeton, Ontario (~1 hour north of Toronto)
Type: Semi-Private
Holes: 18

Length and Par: 4655-6981 yards / 71
Tees: (Shortest to Longest): Red, White, Green, Blue, Gold, Black
Website: https://bondhead.clublink.ca/

The Club at Bond Head offers the ultimate golf experience just minutes west of Highway 400, a few kilometres north of Aurora, Ontario. Two magnificent courses, designed by the renowned firm of Hurdzan-Fry, are presided over by a palatial clubhouse.

The parkland-style North Course features dramatic elevation changes, spectacular vistas and small, contoured greens.

A member of the ClubLink family, The Club at Bond Head welcomes ClubLink Members and is open to the public as well, not just for golf, but for dining, charity and corporate golf tournaments, weddings and meetings, and other special events. We invite you to experience our hospitality, service, cuisine, elegant surroundings and attentive staff. Our clubhouse is available year-round for meetings, weddings and special events. 

 

Course Layout:
Pace of Play:
Staff:
Value:
Course Conditions:

Price:
Difficulty: (from Green tees)

Overall Rating: 4.9 out of 5

 

 

OVERVIEW    

Nestled on the outskirts of the small, quiet hamlet of Bond Head lies a true golf experience. The Club at Bond Head first opened its doors in 2005 and was the work of architects Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Jason Straka of the prestigious Hurdzan Fry Design company, whose porfolio includes work on Devil's Pulpit and Devil's Paintbrush in Caledon, among others. Despite being relatively new, The Club at Bond Head's quality is recognized. 

 

Upon opening, the course was voted the top public course in the GTA by the Toronto Star. In 2015, The North Course ranked 52nd in SCOREGolf's top 59 public courses in Ontario and in 2014 ranked 96th the top 100 courses of Ontario. The course is headed by CPGA Professional is Kevin Hamill, formerly of National Pines Golf Club and Innisbrook Golf Course. It is part of the ClubLink family of courses but does offer daily golf for to public.

 

COURSE LAYOUT AND DIFFICULTY

There are many common design elements amongst many of the holes on the North course. From the start, players will notice that tee boxes are placed either above or below the fairways, leading to some spectacular views when you set foot on the tees. 

Most fairways features dramatic slopes and elevation changes throughout them, lined by a combination of thick rough and deep fairway bunkers that will punish any errant tee shot or mistake. There is no room for error, especially from the longer tees. Players should be relieved to find the fairway but that is only half the battle. Tough, small greens surrounded by massive downhill slopes and crater-like greenside bunkers demand an accurate approach. Often times, you'll find yourself taking safer lines into holes, as finding any of these hazards can prove costly. 

 

The shear depth and steepness of some of the bunkers are only quantifiable once you land in them. But when you do, you will noticed that the sand is of high-quality and loose, and does not clump like other lesser quality sand. A reassuring feeling, despite the fact that landing in one greatly increases the difficulty of the hole.

Once safely on the greens, players will notice a vast degree of undulation and deception. Most greens are multi-leveled and landing on the wrong level means a difficult putt ahead. Good putting pace and an ability to read slopes is required to not punish yourself. As of this review, the speeds of the greens were very fast; something even the marshals noted to us. This, in combination with the sloping, can lead to some truly tricky putts at times.

The only issue we found was the length of the rough on some holes. While we understand the necessity for long rough and its effect on hole difficulty, in some places it was exceedingly long, about four inches or so. Perhaps it was not cut yet at the time of the review, but we often found it taking longer than necessary to find balls hit even just a few yards off the fairway.

 

A hole of note is the par 4 6th hole. Starting out low, players on the tee are presented with a dramatic yet deceptive sight; a high green, measuring 312 yards away atop a steep hill, surrounded by dense rough and deep bunkers, with a sliver of fairway to the right of it. Clever bunker positioning and contouring hide the real size of the fairway, yet players are forced to question just how much of it they want to take on. Escaping with a par on this hole is a respectable score for even the best of golfers.

 

Perhaps our favourite hole on the North course though is the par 5 8th hole. Measuring almost 600 yards in length, the tee boxes are set high on a hill. Players must hit over a dense out-of-bounds region in an attempt to land their ball onto a sloping fairway that bends slightly left. Large bunkers, both in depth and length, are situated in a way that either forces you to play short of them or be brave enough to hit over them. Once on the fairway, players will notice more bunkers along its sides, making even a layup shot a risky endeavor. Approaching the green is equally tough, as the front edge is lined with more bunkers and surrounded by deep rough. This is a great hole to test one's accuracy with all their clubs. 

 

 

The 8th Hole at The Club at Bond Head's North Course (Image: Toronto Golf Reviews)

VALUE

Perhaps the best part about the Club at Bond Head is their flexible pricing for both the North and South courses. At the time of this review, pricing ranges from $75-45 during the week then increases to $110-50 on the weekends, depending on the time. This is truly a steal at the moment, in our opinion, especially for the quality of course that you are playing. 

 

During the summer, the weekday post-4PM slot costs about $45 and still gives you enough time to get 18 holes in before dusk. This right now is perhaps the best valued deal in all of Ontario. I cannot think of any other course of a similar quality that I have played that cost under $50 for 18 holes, ever.

STAFF AND PACE OF PLAY

The quality of the club found during our review of the South course still holds. Upon entering the facility, golfers are greeted by a magnificent clubhouse, which houses all the typical amenities of some of the best country clubs, with a well-stocked proshop, driving range, member locker-rooms, a remarkable patio overlooking the course, event spaces and much more.

 

The staff at Bond Head again live up to their reputation and rating from our review of the South Course. Friendly, warm staff ensure you have the best golfing experience you can and are great to have a chat with while waiting to hit your shot or before a round. They are especially accommodating and welcoming to those who have never played either courses before. It should be noted that the staff do an excellent job of ensuring a good pace of play; they understand the difficulty of the course and account for it well. In addition, the course is cart mandatory, which helps out with pace of play. A big thank you to marshal Lloyd, who was particularly helpful and great to talk to during our round.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

The North Course at the Club at Bond Head is a real treat for golfers. Stunning views, challenging holes, great design, friendly staff and amazing value all add up to an excellent golfing experience. I would recommend this course for mid to low handicappers who are looking for a true challenge. The elevation changes, unforgiving rough and tight, sloping greens are sure to test all golfing skills. Higher handicappers may find this course too difficult however, as a demand for accurate shot-making is required on most holes, even from the shorter tees. To play this course well should be considered an achievement by many. 

 

We give it a 4.9 out of 5, the only deduction being for the excessive length of rough on some holes. 

Have you played the North Course? If so, let me know in the comments below what you thought of it.

 

 

Also, click here to read our review of the South Course at the Club at Bond Head

 

 

 

-Nick

Toronto Golf Reviews