Short Iron Beats Right In Hole

Golf Betting Lines

Avenel was a huge success as soon as it opened, well at least for Arnold Palmer. The "King" made back-to-back aces on the par-three third hole prior to the start of the 1986 Chrysler Cup. During a practice round on Tuesday, Palmer, the captain of the U.S. team, made a hole-in-one with a five-iron on the then 182-yard hole. The next day was the pro-amateur event and Palmer, again using a five-iron, made a one -- the first time that back-to-back aces were recorded on any professional tour. Just an FYI: Palmer missed the green during the opening round of the event as he tried for three straight.

Beginning in 1987, the PGA Tour began its run at Avenel with the Kemper Open, where former U.S. Open champion Tom Kite was a runaway winner by seven over Chris Perry and Howard Twitty. The following year, Kite lost in a playoff to Morris Hatalsky, as Mo-Cat sank a five-foot par putt for the win. The 1980s were completed with a Tom Byrum five-shot win over three players for his first and only PGA Tour title.

Two shots behind Bobby Wadkins with one round to play, Mark Brooks carded his fourth straight round in the 60s to clip Wadkins and D.A. Weibring by three shots in 1994. Lee Janzen defeated Corey Pavin with a 12-foot birdie on the first extra hole to capture the 1995 tournament. Janzen, who shot four rounds in the 60s, won the last playoff in the event's storied history.

One shot off the pace with one round remaining, Steve Stricker carded his fourth straight round in the 60s to post a three-shot victory over four players in 1996 with his wife Nicki on the bag. Justin Leonard won for the second time in his career when he captured the 1997 Kemper Open. Leonard, who opened with three straight 69s, closed with 67 to defeat Mark Wiebe by one. Nick Faldo, Nick Price and Greg Norman finished three behind.

Tied for the lead after three rounds with Bob Burns, Bob Estes carded a Sunday 71 to edge 1999 champion Rich Beem by one shot for his fourth career title in 2002. Burns, who aced the 11th hole during the final round, finished tied for third after a one-over 72. Estes carded 17 pars and one birdie, but trailed by one with three holes remaining. Burns, who held the lead, would relinquish the advantage with a costly double-bogey on 16 while Estes parred the final two holes for victory. Beem carded four rounds in the 60s, including back-to-back 69s over the weekend.

Rory Sabbatini returned to the winner's circle for the first time in three years, as he closed with back-to-back 68s for a four-shot win. With his victory, Sabbatini became the fourth player in the last five years to either hold or share the 54-hole lead and go on to victory. The 2003 event changed names to the FBR Capital Open.

The PGA Tour stepped in to do some redesign work in 2005 and the tournament was moved to nearby Congressional Country Club.

No. 2 is the longest hole on the course, a whopping 622 yards from the gold tees. This par five bends to the right and plays downhill towards the green. A massive strike off the tee down the right side can cut the corner of the dogleg, but be wary of the thick rough, sand and tall trees that guard the bend. The proper second shot is to lay back around 100 yards for your third to leave a simple pitch to a very long, boomerang-shaped green. A back-left flag could be quite difficult, since a deep bunker looms large.

Aesthetically, the fourth is one beautiful hole, with a lake left and tall trees right. Scoring-wise, you better be on your toes. Although the fairway is very wide, it slopes from right to left and any ball hit towards the left will most certainly end up wet. A play down the right will set up a medium iron to a well-guarded green. The putting surface slopes from back to front, with sand left and deep and a grass hollow to the right. Talk about pinpoint accuracy.

The fifth is a fun, short par four that bends to the left with a myriad of traps down both sides of the fairway. The real key here is finding the right distance to layup from the tee with either a fairway metal or a long iron. Your approach will be downhill to a difficult green that features a ridge in the center of the 33-yard deep surface. Three very deep bunkers dot the circumference of the green, along with a chipping area to the right.

comments

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•    @andytoots I jest, of course. Been in France with only a dog for a few days. She's unappreciative of my brilliant gags.

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•    @badprocess bâclé, en retard, avec des évolutions débarquées par l'integrateur himself ? C'est déjà le cas chez nous. Mais c'est politique…

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•    RT @kyletuckerVP: #Hokies O, meanwhile, No. 7 nationally in plays of 20-plus yards (44) and 60-plus yards (5). Also have 20 plays of 30-plus, 10 of 40-plus.

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•    @oc_esthi no I don't, I WISH I did. We have a creek behind my office with ducks, and I love them.

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•    Of course!! @libertyswarrior U da man! Xo!

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•    the thoughts going through my head right now...*smirks*

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•    School... Its a love hate relationship. Wishing I was at a resort in Cozumel right about now :( had to much fun this weekend with my family

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•    #Nap :) ? after #TheGame ends of course

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•    #f1 10min delay!@jlegand 'surface akin to a golfer putting on marble' You know??

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•    @showalasomelove yes!! He tht dumb nigga.. It'll be short lived... He runnin to fast with tht iron.

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