Day 1 of the US Junior Amateur did not go how Charlie Woods dreamt it would. The 15-year-old qualifier shot 12-over-par 82 on one of the toughest tests in golf, with some good holes and some bad ones along the way.
Here were the 5 most important holes of the day for Charlie Woods in his competitive debut at Oakland Hills Country Club.
Hole 1, par-4: Starting strong
Woods found the left side of the fairway with a long iron off the tee on the dogleg-right first hole. He stuck his approach to about 30 feet and two-putted from there to start his championship week with a par.
Score on the day: Even-par.
Hole 4, par-3: The first slip up
The 200-yard par-3 fourth hole has bunkers guarding the green on the front, back and left. Woods missed the green but avoided the sand by missing right into the greenside rough. He barely got enough on the chip shot to make it back to the green where the ball rolled into a drain hole cover on the edge of the fringe. He got relief and left his 20-foot par putt five feet short, then missed the bogey putt left to finish with a double-bogey.
Score on the day: 2-over.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FAIRWAY: The Tiger effect: What it was like for teens who played with Charlie Woods at US Junior Am
Hole 5, par-5: Bouncing back
Woods went right with his driver off the tee and played his second shot from the fairway of the third hole, which runs parallel to the fifth on the right, on the 630-yard dogleg left, adding distance to the hole. He got back on track with a long iron back onto the fifth fairway, leaving him an approach over 120 yards for his third shot. Woods delivered his best shot yet, sticking the approach to three feet which he sank for his first birdie of the tournament.
Score on the day: 1-over.
Hole 9, par-4: Another double
Woods pulled out driver again for the par-4 ninth, a 462 yard hole, and drove into the right fairway. He stayed right into the right side bunker of the green about 10 yards out from the hole. He was unsuccessful in his third shot on the ninth hole hitting it over the green into the rough about 15 yards away from the pin. Woods put his fourth shot onto the green about 15 feet away from the hole. He lay’s up and putts close to the hole about 3 feet out, and puts the ball in for double bogey.
Score on the day: 5-over.
Hole 17, par-4: Last straw
Woods pulled out his hybrid on the 463 yard par-4 17th hole, and landed in the middle of the fairway. He pulled out his iron and landed on the right side bunker abut 30 yards from the hole. Woods chipped onto the green from the bunker and was left with a 15-foot putt. Woods’ putt rolled over the left edge and 4 feet past the hole. Woods pushed the fifth shot on the right edge of the hole and tapped in for double bogey.
Score: 12-over.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 5 most important holes of Day 1 for Charlie Woods in US Junior Am
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