16th, Riviera

Most of my favourite holes are shorter par 3s and winning the Northern Trust Open here in 2012 makes this one special to me. Many of today’s new courses have 230-yard par 3s but I think you should go the other way and have proper short holes with smaller greens and more character. This hole is the epitome of a par 3 that doesn’t have to be long to be difficult.

It usually plays as an 8 or 9-iron shot, maybe a 7-iron if the wind is really moving. But it’s a small green and it’s really well protected by bunkers. The best way to play it is to be aggressive off the tee and challenge the pin, but you have to hit a good shot.  

You’ll see some birdies because guys are being aggressive with shorter clubs off the tee. But the design is such that if you miss the green you’ll see some bogeys. In fact, you’re almost guaranteed a bogey with the rough and bunkers. That makes it exciting in a tournament setting. Any player can come into that hole and say ‘ok, I have a chance to make birdie here’. But you might walk off with a bogey. So it’s got everything you want in a par 3.

My favourite time playing it was Sunday when I won in 2012. I just missed the green, chipped to 12 feet and made a nice left-to-right putt for par to keep my round going. I hit it on in two on the next hole (par-5 17th) and made birdie. Those two holes were huge for me to get that win.

Read what other Tour stars have to say about their favourite holes >>