Players with putting issues on the PGA Tour – Part 1
Not a single player can deny the fact that, in an important match, it usually comes down to draining a key putt or two.
No matter, how well a player drives the ball off the tee, or how smoothly their approach shots find the greens, they cannot score well if they do not feel confident while holding putters in their hands.
There are players who are masters in all other aspects of the game. However, when it comes to making a 10-foot putt, they completely lose their confidence and self belief.
On pro tours, especially on the prestigious PGA Tour, this can cost even the best players a victory or even a chance to contend in bigger tournaments.
It definitely is not impossible for a player to record a victory, despite having a below average putting technique. However, the lack of self belief can definitely make an already difficult tournament a nightmare in the end.
This article will shed light on some of the players who are regarded as the least confident putters, and definitely the players who have some level of success at the pro level.
Sergio Garcia is no doubt one of the high-status golfers in the world. He is known for his strong ball striking technique and has the ability to gain momentum with every shot.
Since turning pro in 1999, he has recorded a total of 23 victories, including eight wins on the PGA Tour and ten on the European Tour.
This year, he has accumulated more than $2.5 million on the PGA Tour and won the Wyndham Championship by defeating Tim Clark with a two-stroke margin.
However, on season-in and season-out basis, the Spaniard lacks consistency when it comes to his game on the greens.
After winning the HSBC Champions in 2008, he went through a long slump of more than two years. He spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons without a single victory on either of the PGA Tour or the European Tour.
In 2011, he decided to go for the ‘claw’ putting grip and came out of the slump to some degree. He added two European titles to his resume during the same season.
Despite having a strong track record on the Ryder Cup, he was not among the favourites to book a place in this year’s edition of the tournament at the Medinah Country Club.
Earlier this August, he won the Wyndham Championship, which played a key role in booking his place in the European Ryder Cup team.
His victory came mainly because of the five birdie putts that he made over the last eight holes of the tournament.
The 32-year-old ranks 29th in the putting per round this season, which is no doubt a solid showing. However, his inconsistency in putting throughout his career has always been a big issue for the Spaniard.
There was a time when he was regarded as one of the strongest contenders against the legendary Tiger Woods. However, the time passed, when he was in a no-man’s land, especially when it comes to talking about his rivalry against the 14-time major champion.
His critics believe that the putting problem was the major reason behind his lack of success in becoming a legend of the game.
Over the past one decade, he has tried short putter, long putter, mechanical, instinctive and almost every other putter that is available in the market.
According to the golf experts, the reason behind his lack of consistency in putting is not because of the imperfect sticks. In fact, they refer it to his mental blockage that does not allow him to build faith in his game on the greens.
Continued in part 2 . . .
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