Move over Happy Gilmore, Mark Hubbard has a new putting grip in town.
ANNC: What in the heck is that?
That’s next level right there.
ANNC: So everything looks really good right about now, posture looks great.
But the extension in the right arm is where it’s at.
And the pinky, the pinky just sticking out there and now wrapping around the lower part
of the shaft, that’s just textbook technique.
I tell you what, the plane of the stroke was spot on.
He’s clearly done this before.
Oh yeah!
That’s definitely a new one.
But we’ve seen some interesting putting techniques over the years.
Remember Robert Garrigus’ 28-and-a-half-inch putter?
ANNC: Normal length is about 34 inches.
I’m amazed he doesn’t have back problems.
Michelle Wie adopted the tabletop hinge at the waist, too, for her 2014 U.S. Open win.
No surprise here, Bryson DeChambeau gave sidesaddle a try for a hot minute.
ANNC: He’ll step to the side.
There you go.
Ball hugging the ground.
Great roll, and a birdie.
Count it!
2010 PLAYERS Champion Tim Clark had the pencil grip, belly putter.
And so did Adam Scott and others.
Matt Kuchar has evolved to the armbar putter.
I could go on.
As you can see it was another Good, Bad & Unusual week at The American Express kicking off the
West Coast Swing, where plenty of players got lucky off the rocks, Lefty was not so
lucky and Si Woo Kim won on a pressure putt.
For his third PGA TOUR victory by the age of 25, Si Woo Kim put it away at 17.
ANNC: He did!
Right in the heart!
That par 3, 17th at PGA West’s Stadium Course, is known Alcatraz and Matthew Wolff made a
great escape.
ANNC: Oh!
Off the rocks, is he going to get lucky?
It may go in.
He is going to get lucky!
Oh my goodness.
You just need to aim at the rocks.
Aim at the rocks?
I’m not sure that’s what Bo Van Pelt was going for but it still worked.
ANNC: Uh, oh.
Oh!
What a great break that was!
I guess all the weird stuff happened to Mark Hubbard this week because here he is again,
this time getting lucky off the rocks.
ANNC: Good break.
Oh my goodness!
Must be something about those rocks, Kirk.
Wow, is that a good break!
I’ve got give it to him, last week’s winner, Kevin Na did avoid the rocks but still flirted
with disaster.
ANNC: Oh big bounce, that’s the walkway to the green.
Oh my goodness!
I’ll tell you what, it’s like a circus around here on this hole.
That was some crazy luck.
I bet tournament host Phil Mickelson wishes he had some of that.
ANNC: Phil the thrill.
Oh my god.
That is the biggest lip-out I think I’ve ever seen.
I’ve never seen that.
That’s 540!
Around and around, Patrick Cantlay with the incredible.
Off the flagstick and spins it around the cup!
ANNC: Look at that thing!
How’s this for off the flagstick?
Remember Alcatraz?
Brian Harman is now the warden.
ANNC: Oh!
Sometimes the flagstick really helps you out.
ANNC: Oh my goodness!
Oh man.
You don’t always get so lucky, though.
Cameron Champ, this time, got rejected.
ANNC: Oh!
He hit the stick!
Easy now.
You have got to be kidding me.
But if you just swoosh it like Danny Lee you don’t have to worry about the flagstick.
ANNC: Oh my goodness!
Slam dunk!
Cameron Davis was in the hunt, probably because of shots like this.
ANNC: Oh, right at it.
This has potential.
And yes!
Perfect!
Over at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Rory McIlroy was near perfect holing out from 73
yards as the 54-hole leader.
ANNC: Oh!
That’s absolutely perfection.
But Tyrrell Hatton went on to win the European Tour’s season opener by four-strokes.
The West Coast Swing continues at Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open.
I’ll have your daily recaps in The Takeaway on PGATOUR.com and social media.