Why this PGA Tour player thinks it’s easier to play harder courses

Beau Hossler’s career has been on an ascendant trajectory since he was a junior golfer. The 26-year-old was a star at the University of Texas, played on the 2015 Walker Cup team and has been ranked as high as No. 64 in the world. But one of his most impressive accomplishments occurred when he was still in high school, when he led the 2012 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club midway through the second round. He ended up finishing T29.

On this week’s episode of Subpar, Hossler explained to hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz why tough setups like the U.S. Open suit his style of play.

“I look at that tournament, in my opinion, as difficult as it is, when you go play that event with no expectation, like, par is your friend, when is that ever the case on Tour?” Hossler said. “Like, you go shoot two over on the front, you’re like, it’s all good. Let me get in the house at a couple over, you’re in contention. Shoot two over on the front in Vegas, you’re like, I might as well not play the next day. I literally have to shoot 59 to make the cut.”

Hossler said he prefers competing on tougher tracks.

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“I think it’s easier — in my opinion, when you play a harder course — I even still prefer to play harder courses because there’s way more to it than just like, let me go hit driving-range shots,” Hossler said. “You have to play the game. You have to be smart, you have to strategize, you have to miss in the right places. I think that that starts to like, narrow down the amount of players that can really contend.”

Hossler said tournaments like The American Express in La Quinta have friendlier setups that aren’t overly penal on mishits or mental errors.

“Bascially, it’s a putting contest and a wedge contest,” he said.

For more from Hossler, including his thoughts on the impact of a good pairing and a breakdown of his near-miss at the Houston Open, check out the full interview below.

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As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

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