Four Times Better Than a PGA Tour Pro

In the Valero Texas Open PGA Tour event today, Kevin Na took a 16 on the par-4 ninth hole. The company I work for had its national sales meeting at the JW Marriott in San Antonio, where the TPC Courses are located. One "networking" activity was a golf scramble, during which I played the same TPC San Antonio course Na and the rest of the tour pros are playing this week.

I don't remember much about hole 9, but I do know my scramble team started on hole 7 and we were even par through several holes. So we parred hole 9, and I think we may have even used all of my shots, at least up until the par putt.

So at the very worst, I can say I would have scored no worse than a bogey 5. Of course, we played tees some 50 yards closer, but still...

To Na's credit, except for that hole, he was -4 for his round, which, had he parred the ninth, would have left him one stroke behind the leaders on the difficult new Greg Norman design.

I remember a couple similar rounds I've had in the past, although both were only 9-hole rounds. Once in Carroll, Iowa, I shot 42 on the par-35 front nine, which included an 11 on the par 4 fifth hole. It was a horribly windy day, and I managed to play -1 for the other eight holes.

Similarly, in a work league a few years ago, I took a 12 on the par 4 sixth en route to something like a 43 on the par-35 front nine at Southern Hills in Farmington, Minnesota. I was either even or one over for the other holes, and it too was a windy day.

I only bring up those memories to remind myself how much better Na handled his 16 today. If you haven't seen it on the sports highlight shows, here's a hint: Much better than I. (And I didn't handle them well.)