Originally Posted by
mr. synellinden
Stenson's adventure on 18 compared with Tiger's is a perfect example of why golf is such a mental game and how much that contributes to being able to win major championships.
Stenson hit his tee shot into the trees on the left same as Tiger. Tiger had an unplayable lie so was hitting three from the pine straw. Stenson couldn't get his ball out of the trees so he was hitting three from the pine straw too. Tiger smacked his third shot short and left of the green leaving himself a very difficult short-sided up and down for bogey. Stenson "worm-burned' his third shot but made it out on the fairway wedge distance from the hole. So both were hitting their fourth shot from off the green, and I bet most pros would have preferred Stenson's position to Tiger's. Yet the difference was in their heads. After hitting the worm-burner, Stenson angrily swung his club into the ground - and that was where he lost the chance to salvage the hole. His anger led to him flying the green in a situation where he probably hits the green 90% of the time. Instead of maintaing his composure, making an easy wedge shot and walking away with no worse than a 6 (leaving him at -3 or -4 if he could make the bogey putt), he lost his mind for 10 minutes and made four consecutive bad shots.
On the other hand, Tiger made an unbelievable pitch and run for his fourth shot and made the bogey putt - saving a critical stroke. That's where majors are won and lost. We'll see where Stenson's head is today, but he probably lost any chance at winning the Masters with that angry reaction and swing of the golf club in frustration.