The Starter, Round 4: Wyndham Championship
The final round of the Wyndham Championship is set to begin Sunday. Here's a preview:
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EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR NETWORK on-site correspondent Brett Wright previews Sunday's action:
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Oh, the old girl did show some of her teeth Saturday but they were not sharp. Sedgefield Country Club continued to submit to the best players in the world, who would take dead aim at hole locations no matter where they were set. Because of the great scoring conditions, the field continued to bunch up near the top of the leaderboard. The weather forecast for today's final round is calling for rain, thunderstorms and 10 mph wind gusts. So much for Sedgefield keeping her modesty this week. The rain will soften up greens even more and give players the chance to participate in another birdie fest. The rough has not been trimmed much this week and the ball has tended to sit up in Saturday's sunny conditions, creating some flyer issues but nothing too bad. Today, however, when it becomes moist the ball will tend to fall below the top of the canopy and create those difficult lies that are so unpredictable, and physically tough to play.
As you probably know, Arjun Atwal is not a PGA TOUR member and cannot compete in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. He was a Monday Qualifier who shot 67 at Forest Oaks earlier in the week. I really think that not being part of the numbers mania at the last tournament before the Playoffs has allowed Atwal to play with no care about points or position and that has turned out to be a wonderful thing. He would just like to secure his membership back with the PGA TOUR, which he can do with a win today. All these other players have something to protect this week -- their positions -- and Atwal has nothing to lose. I like his chances today.
If Atwal cannot get the job done, I advise you to watch John Rollins, and Will MacKenzie. Rollins had one of the best ball striking days I have ever seen on Saturday, but made a double bogey at the par-5 15th hole. He missed 5 putts from 15 feet or less for birdie and generally got very little out of his round with a 2 under par 68. He could be very tough to beat if the putter starts falling.
Mackenzie has been tinkering all year with his mechanics. This week he is back to keeping it simple and playing by feel. He knows how to win on TOUR and now that his confidence is riding high we will have to see if he remembers.
The great Donald Ross designed Sedgefield in 1926. Cris Spence did a redesign in 2007 which drastically changed the shapes of the greens. They are not the traditional push up, mounded small greens that are the signature of Ross courses. The greens are much more modern and bigger now, and with today's technology, physical conditioning of players and the date of the event which mandates the greens be kept soft due to the heat, the golf course almost appears helpless to defend her par. But is sure is exciting to watch.
INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER: Todd Jones, Head Instructor at THE TOUR ACADEMY at TPC Sawgrass, provides a few helpful hits while you watch the fourth round.. For more information about THE TOUR ACADEMY, click here.
Scoring conditions remained ideal for Round 3 of the Wyndham Championship. Arjun Atwal continued his good play, posting a solid round of 65. He sits at 17 under par, three shots clear of the field. Sunday's final round is going to be pressure packed for many players in the field. Arjun is fighting to regain his PGA TOUR Card while others are trying to secure a spot in the Playoffs.
When pressure sets in it is easy to let the mind wander to what they don't want to do or the consequences of not pulling off the shot at hand. This is where the pre-shot routine comes in. A good pre-shot routine ensures that the player is completely focused on the task at hand while emphasizing what they "want to do" with the shot. You will see a player completely restart their routine if it is interrupted or their focus wanes. Watch the players closely; those who stick to their routines will continue to hit good shots under extreme pressure. Those who do not tend to make big numbers when it is all on the line.
For all players the routine is honed in practice and becomes automatic with consistent training. That means that when the best players in the world practice they are often doing so utilizing their complete routine. Learn from the best and develop a pre-shot routine, stick to it under pressure, and you will be winning championships of your own.
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