Muirfield Hole 18

Published:

Par 4, 449 yards

What a terrific finishing hole. It’s so tough that a one or even two-shot lead feels anything but comfortable coming down the last.

Tom Watson says: “I had a little incident here playing in the 2007 Senior Open, where I had a three-shot lead, and I hooked my tee shot trying to stay away from the bunkers. My ball ended up in one of the left fairway bunkers in a very, very precarious position.

“I couldn’t get the ball out far enough on the line I wanted. So I tried to hit it out just over the top of the bunker into the rough knowing that I only had to make a double bogey to win, and I left it in the bunker.

“But then, fortunately, I had a shot out sideways to the fairway. I then had a 6-iron to the green, and although I missed the putting surface, I managed to two-putt for a double bogey and victory.

So many tournaments here have been won and lost on the last; and it could well happen again in July.”

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