Todd Hamilton on the 14th
The tee shot is all important here with the out of bounds over the wall on the right but the fairway gets wider as you go down and you need to be right of the bunkers. It’s the longest hole on the course and I would always hit driver, but I still don’t have the length to get over Hell bunker with my second
Shane Lowry on the 15th
For me it’s usually a drive and a seven iron down there. It’s one of those holes where you actually have half a chance if you can get your tee shot away well. Even though it looks quite long it plays pretty easy enough at times, it’s one where you hope to have a chance coming. With 16 and 17 obviously very tough, if you need to make a birdie then 15 is probably your best go. But if you miss the green right it can be tough with the humps and hollows back there, you need to be spot on with your distance control.
Jamie Donaldson on the 16th
It’s a tricky hole because it’s very hard to get past the bunkers off the tee. You’ve got to lay up short and then it’s a very long iron in. If it’s blowing it’s very difficult to get the ball to stop on that top tier. But at the same time you can still make birdie. Usually I go short left of the bunker instead of taking the riskier right option, which means you’re going into the green with a five iron. If you do hit a driver down the right it’s a very easy birdie hole but it’s a very tough drive.
Ernie Els on the 17th
I hit driver unless there’s a gale behind me, it’s so long that you’ve got to hit driver. I aim left off the tee and try to run the second to the green, depending on the weather. This year we don’t have high rough on the left so I can just try and squeeze it in left of the green. If it’s a short enough shot in I will try and fly something on to the green and try and stop it, and stay out of the Road Hole bunker. My record’s all right on there. I haven’t done a Tommy Nakajima (took a nine in 1978).
Henrik Stenson on the 18th
It’s one of those holes where you want to take advantage. In no wind or downwind, which is the normal prevailing wind, you want to get it up there, in and around the green. For me it’s been a three wood or driver but now it’s a little bit softer so it’s most likely to be driver. You are not getting those extreme bounces when the course is yellow and burnt. The tricky pin is short left over the Valley of Sin, where you flirt with the danger of coming back down. A good play with the OB to the right is to aim for the left of the green and if you are anywhere around pin-high you can chip or putt.
