.png&w=128&q=75)
.png&w=128&q=75)
In the movie “Tin Cup,” Kevin Costner’s character, Roy McAvoy, hits ball after ball into a pond fronting the 18th hole, convinced he can make the perfect shot.
It’s a hilarious scene (for golfers, it’s hard to watch), but it’s just Hollywood, right?
Wrong. Spaniard Sergio Garcia dumped five balls — in a row — into a pond in front of the 15th hole at Augusta National during the Masters opening day on Thursday. And Garcia is the defending champion!
The debacle started after Garcia hit a great drive on the par 5, leaving his just more than 200 yards into the green. He was +1 at the time, so an eagle there would get him into red numbers. But the placement of the pin was brutal: A bank in front of the hole meant any ball that came up short would start rolling back, gather steam and roll right down the bank into the water.
Garcia’s 6-iron came up just short, rolled down the severe slope and into the water. So he went to the drop area, where he could hit a wedge from around 100 yards into the tough hole. With a penalty, Garcia was hitting his fourth shot. He landed pin high, but with too much spin. The ball rolled back again into the water. Penalty makes 5, hitting 6. Same shot, same result. Water. Penalty makes 7, hitting 8. Pin high, spin, water. Penalty makes 9, hitting 10. Again, same shot, same result!
On his 12th shot, he hit the green — this one held — and of course he one-putted for unlucky 13.
The score was the highest ever made on the hole in 81 years of the tournament.
“I don’t know what to tell you,” Garcia said after the round “It’s one of those things. It’s the first time in my career where I make a 13 without missing a shot. Simple as that. I felt like I hit a lot of good shots and unfortunately the ball just didn’t stop. It’s one of those things. It’s just unfortunate, but that’s what it is.’
“And then I kept hitting good shots with the sand wedge, and unfortunately — I don’t know why — the ball just wouldn’t stop.”
Take a look below. It’s ugly.
.png)
.png)
.png)
