Jordan Spieth? On Friday, he talked about the numbers.
“It was one of the most difficult holes I’ve played on the PGA Tour today.”
Justin Rose? On Tuesday, he also talked about the numbers.
“I had to ask the caddy how many balls were left.”
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And Jonathan Vegas on Tuesday? You know where this is going.
“You can make huge numbers in that hole.”
And the players are doing the same. bogie. Double bogey. And beyond that. Spieth, Rose and Vegas have all commented on the 18th hole at Trump National Doral and will likely get approval from the field at this week’s PGA Tour venue, the Cadillac Championship. The 486-yard par-4 is a pain, but certainly welcome news for those who like their golf to be undecided until the final stroke. There’s a good chance a meltdown is coming.
How difficult was the finisher? Played to just a half-shot over par through three rounds, it is Doral’s most difficult hole in terms of average score. This was also his position at last year’s LIV Golf Event when he finished 18th and played .574 strokes over. And that was the record 10 years ago, the last time Doral hosted a PGA Tour tournament, when it was .425 strokes over par. As of Saturday, Doral’s 18th hole ranks as the most difficult closing hole on the PGA Tour this year. (The complete list is at the end of this article.)
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Birdie is not impossible. Nine shots were made this week, including one by Scottie Scheffler, who moved into a tie for second place entering Sunday. But tunnel vision is required. Water runs along the entire left side of the hall, and palm trees sway along most of the right side. Claustrophobia most commonly occurs on the tee box. The ball, which has traveled up to about 300 yards, is forced into a landing area that is about 25 yards wide. Of course, it might look like just a few blades of grass from three soccer fields away. (Bigger hitters are rewarded with more fairways, however, which requires a pop of 320 or higher.) Wind also seems to be ever-present, meaning players could potentially target either the lake or the branches. In short, there is no real remedy. You need a great shot. The second shot from there obviously depends on the lie, but the water and wind are still there, and Scheffler said the green “has quite a bit of pitch.”
My thoughts on the 18th this week had a theme.
That’s difficult, the players said.
“At the end of the day, I guarantee you that hole is going to play well above par. At least, it’s a 4.5 or something like that. So it’s a hole where you know you’re not going to die if you make bogey. Obviously, you can make huge numbers on that hole. But So you have to attack that hole very carefully. You can’t beat yourself up on that hole or make it your week. So you have to attack the hole probably very conservatively and try to run the best four shot you can on that hole. ”
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Sunday tee time for the 2026 Cadillac Championship: Tournament flag photographed at Trump Doral.
Ahead of the tournament, Rose said: “Yeah, I just played 10 minutes ago and had to ask my caddy how many balls I had left. The wind was blowing from the left today, which is the strongest wind you’ll play on that hole after all. You can’t cover the left side completely, so it’s a bit of a pin. There’s a tee point. The fairway is probably only about 15 yards wide in that section. It was a landing section today, so it’s going to be busy in the trees on the right.”With that wind direction, it’s divine in terms of lies, but there’s definitely some danger along the way. So you have to get up and make a great swing to play that hole properly. ”
Adam Scott said: “The fairway is one of the narrowest on a golf course and there’s not a lot of room as the ball starts to move in the wind from left to right to keep it in the fairway.It’s a very demanding tee shot. It’s still demanding, but once you’re off the fairway, the angle is an issue, the rough is an issue, the trees are an issue, so it’s really difficult. Honestly, it takes two great shots to get some kind of regulation par, so it’s a great closing hole for championship golf.”
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The challenge is welcome, at least for Scott, but the prospect of big numbers is anathema.
What happened to the 18th hole on this year’s PGA Tour?
Here’s what 18 holes on the PGA Tour looked like this year.
–Sony Open, Waialae Country Club, 546 yard par 5: Second easiest hole of the week, 4.429 strokes
–American Express, Pete Dye Stadium Course 439 yards Par 4: tied for third-hardest hole in 4th round (first 3 rounds split into 3 courses), 4.068 strokes
–Farmers Insurance Open, Torrey Pines South Course, 544 yards Par 5: Second easiest hole in 4 rounds (first 2 rounds are split into 2 courses), 4.541 strokes
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–WM Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale, 442 yard par 4: 11th hardest hole of the week, 4.010 strokes
–AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Pebble Beach Golf Links, 528 yards Par 5: 3rd easiest hole in 4 rounds (first 2 rounds are split over 2 courses), 4.563 strokes
–Genesis Invitational, Riviera Country Club, 501 yard par 4: Second hardest hole of the week, 4.142 strokes
– Cognizant Classic, PGA National Champion Course, 592 yard par 5: 3rd easiest hole of the week, 4.678 strokes
–Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill Club & Lodge, 458 yard par 4: Toughest hole of the week, 4.270 strokes
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–Puerto Rico Open, Grand Reserve Golf Club, 450 yard par 4: 11th hardest hole of the week, 3.944 strokes
– Players Championship, TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, 462 yard par 4: Toughest hole of the week, 4.338 strokes
–Valspar Championship, Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, 445 yard par 4: 7th hardest hole of the week, 4.127 strokes
– Texas Children’s Houston Open, Memorial Park Golf Course, 503 yard par 4: 10th hardest hole of the week, 3.988 strokes
–Valero Texas Open, TPC San Antonio, 591 yard par 5: 4th easiest hole of the week, 4.831 strokes
–Masters, Augusta National Golf Club, 465 yards par 4: 5th hardest hole of the week, 4.214 strokes
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–RBC Heritage, Harbor Town Golf Links, 478 yards Par 4: Toughest hole of the week, 4.122 strokes
–Zurich Classic (team event), TPC Louisiana, 585 yard par 5, 3rd easiest hole of the week, 4.358 strokes
The post “I Had to Ask How Many Balls We Have”: Is a Meltdown Coming at Trump Doral? First appearance in golf.
