TPC Harding Park’s 16th hole has provided plenty of excitement this week. The short, dog-leg right par-4 with multiple tee boxes allowed for a variety of setups and, with it, many avenues to play the hole. On Sunday, it served as the host for the shot that won the PGA Championship.
Collin Morikawa stepped on the tee box at 16 already having holed a momentum-seizing shot with his chip in on the 14th, but that shot pales in comparison to what he would do moments later. With the tee box up on 16 for the final round, the hole was playing 294 yards, easily reachable for most players in the field. The shot merely called for shaping the ball around the towering cypress trees for a look at the green.
With those variables in mind, Morikawa unsheathed the lumber and took dead aim. What happened next will be replayed for years to come.
The 23-year-old unleashed a towering fade around the trees as the ball tracked on a beeline for the green. The ball carried 274 yards, bouncing on the front of the green and hopped up to within eight feet of the hole. When Morikawa saw the result, he calmly handed the driver to his caddie and cracked a small smile.
“Absolutely brilliant!” exclaimed CBS’ Frank Nobilo.
Moments later, Morikawa stroked his putt dead center to open up a two-shot lead at 13 under, which proved to be the winning margin.
“It just fit my eye,” Morikawa said. “We were just hoping for a really good bounce, and we got it, hit a really good putt, and now we’re here.”