Texas Wedge
ONE OF US: DP World Tour pro putts from bunker at Porsche European Open
At some point, we've all thought about it, "it" being putting out of a bunker. It's a last-resort type shot, the one you attempt when you've given up on trying to get it out of the trap on the first try. Maybe just whack it with this flat thing and hope it gets out, you tell yourself.
Of course, there are only rare occasions where attempting it is even in the cards. If the bunker has a significant lip (most do) it's a complete no-go. But every now and then you're in greenside trap that has no real lip and some nicely-shaved fringe between you and the green and it hits you - this is puttable.
Apparently, that's a thought that even crossed tour pros' minds, as Scotland's Ewen Ferguson showed us on Thursday at the Porsche European Open. At the par-3 eighth, Ferguson was presented with the exact situation outlined in the paragraph above this one, and he had no issue swallowing his pride and rolling the rock out of the sand and onto the green, setting up a look at par:
Say it with me now ... ONE OF US! ONE OF US! Gooble Gobble one of us!
Unfortunately, Ferguson was unable to save par, but the ultimate goal was accomplished - take disaster out of play. Yes, even the world's best see water behind the green and think, "man, if I catch too much ball I could be in big trouble here." Don't believe us? Marcus "The Bullet" Armitage was preparing for a similar situation at the par-5 15th during a Wednesday practice round:
"Why even try and be fansaaaay, with a lob wedge," Armitage says, before coming up woefully short with his putter. But hey, guess what he didn't do? He didn't skull F one into the water on the other side. That's a disaster tour pros and weekend hackers both like to avoid as much as possible. One of the very few things we have in common.