Hole 15, Saturday evening, Adam Scott finishes the par 3 hole with a 8(4+) and so begins the talks of collapse. Followed by a almost out-of-bounds drive on the 16th, the skeptics started to confirm their doubts. Far removed from his 2013 Masters championship, Scott was forced 3 starts ago to change putters, from the now-banned anchored putter, to a more traditional putter. Scott, like many other golfers, trademarked anchoring long putters to their bodies in the PGA in the past decade. Until complaints, as well as lobbying for a rule change prevailed, ultimately banning the putting stroke Scott captured the Masters with.
Going into Day 3 in Palm beach, Fowler, Walker, Garcia, and Scott were all names in contention for the Honda Classic victor. Walker, started off the day awkwardly, after the announcer on the first hole announced him as “Jimmy Fowler”, shortly after Ricky Fowler tee’d off. Walker performed 8 over par on day 3, and Fowler followed suit by virtually falling out of contention.
Sunday was all about Garcia and Adam Scott. Scott’s follow up performance on Day 4 hole 15 (nicknamed “The Bear Trap” )a vicious water-ridden par 3, was nothing short of brave. Considering the two balls he sunk in the water the day before, Scott kept his tee shot on the grass, solidifying a 1 shot lead over Garcia.
Scott would eventually come out of top, recapturing another victor with a short putter. Scott hadn’t used a short putter to such success since the Singapore open in 2010. But prior to that Scott had success with the short putter, winning 18 times total with the short putter, in comparison to 7 with the long putter. But will controversy eventually surround that 2013 Major win with the long putter, along with the evident dominance of players who used anchored putters around that time? Only time will tell as Adam Scott moves back into the Top Ten World golf rankings for the first time in a year.