June 22, 2009

Bethpage Regulars Know: 15 is a Beast

By Greg Midland

Much has been made during U.S. Open week about the difficult stretch of holes 5 through 12. But the statistics show what any regular player at Bethpage could tell you: the 15th is the Black Course's biggest backbreaker. Just a few minutes ago, this 459-yard, uphill beast derailed Tiger's rally after his back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14, as Woods made a bad bogey after hitting a solid drive and having only 175 to the green. While we mere mortals would have a hard time hitting an uphill shot of that length on the green, you don't expect to see Tiger blow a 5-iron over the green into the thick bluegrass rough, as he did. It just goes to show that when the players cross Round Swamp Road, they are faced with the toughest test on the Black.

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