OLD WESTBURY, NY – AUGUST 27: Dustin Johnson sinks a putt to force a playoff during the final round of THE NORTHERN TRUST at Glen Oaks Club on August 27, 2017, in Old Westbury, New York. (Photo by Ryan Young/PGA TOUR)
By Alex Myers
For the most part, Glen Oaks Club’s PGA Tour debut received rave reviews. Dubbed by some as “The Augusta National of the North” for its immaculate conditioning, the Long Island track proved to be a beautiful, but difficult venue for the Northern Trust. However, Kevin Kisner and some fellow tour pros weren’t big fans of the course’s closing par 4 — especially after it wound up determining the tournament’s winner in a sudden-death playoff.
In case you missed it, Jordan Spieth hit a fine tee shot that found the fairway and avoided a lake on the left. Then Dustin Johnson stepped up and bombed one over the lake to set up a short approach and an easy birdie to win. Here’s a look at the different line the longer DJ was able to take on the boomerang dogleg:
DJ's line vs. Spieth's line ? pic.twitter.com/R4IL20jSH2
— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) August 27, 2017
And here were some of the reactions by PGA Tour pros after the playoff concluded. Wesley Bryan said it was a “shame” the tournament ended on the hole:
https://twitter.com/wesleybryangolf/status/901937280952217601
Ian Poulter also said the finish was a shame and called 18 the “worst hole of the golf course”:
Shame @Fedex playoff hole had to be on the worst hole of the golf course.. 18th hole suited 5 guys in the field. Congrats DJ unlucky Jordan pic.twitter.com/ms2WZrfq0X
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) August 27, 2017
And Kevin Kisner called it the “worst hole ever”:
Worst hole ever
— Kevin Kisner (@K_Kisner) August 28, 2017
Ouch.
Of course, the hole didn’t play as easy for DJ in regulation as his tee shot found the right rough and he had to lay up to near the spot where his drive a few minutes later wound up. But he made a 20-footer for par to force a playoff and set up the tee shot that had fans marveling and tour pros shaking their heads for a different reason.
Luke Donald, however, offered a lighter reaction to how the final hole played:
Just seen Dustin's drive on 18 in the playoff, funnily enough that's the same line I tried a couple of times – didn't quite pan out #wet ?
— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) August 27, 2017
Nothing to be ashamed of, Luke.