Club specifications ruling will be upheld
A day after playing newly refurbished Avenel, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem made an announcement that reverberated across the street Tuesday morning to Congressional, host of this week’s AT&T National.
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Finchem said that the PGA is standing by the United States Golf Association’s recent ruling on club specifications and will put them into effect on Jan. 1. Next year, PGA Tour professionals must play with clubs that will put less backspin on the ball.
Recent club technology allows players to spin the ball from out of the rough, allowing them to stop the ball on the green and mitigate the penalty for drives that fail to find fairway.
Some have called the measure more Tiger-proofing for golf. But Woods, speaking Tuesday, welcomed the change.
“I think it’s great,” said Woods, hosting his third AT&T National. “We’ve known for over a couple years now what this decision was going to be, when it was going to come down, and we’ve had plenty of time to make our adjustments.”
Woods believes equipment changes, as a result of the ruling, won’t be limited to clubs. He says much will depend on ball selection.
“I think [the ruling] will be an advantage to the guys who play a spin golf ball already,” said Woods. “Guys who play a harder ball are going to have to make a bigger adjustment … I do play a pretty soft ball. I’ll have to make less of an adjustment than most.”
Woods always maintains that he prefers difficult conditions, believing it favors players with the most skill. With that in mind, he has set up Congressional to play difficult this week.
“I want the rough up and the greens firm,” said Woods. “I want the greens firm enough where it rewards guys for being more aggressive off the tee and getting the ball down there so they can control their spins.”
Winner Anthony Kim shot a 12-under-par 268 last year. The year before, champion K.J. Choi was 9-under-par. With no rain in the forecast, other than the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms, the winning score could be single digits under par.
“The golf course is in great shape,” said Woods. “The only thing we can’t control is the softness of the greens, with the weather, but as far as overall setup, I’m very pleased. If we can get some dry weather, this golf course will be playing, [what] all the guys want.”
