‘PO Game 3 Battleground’ East Lake "Warning at Hole 9"..."Who Will Win the 17.5 Billion KRW Jackpot?"

Tour Championship Winning Keyword 'Jeongta (正打)', Thorny Path from 7th Hole, "Skill Shot Test" from 15th to 18th Hole

The 9th hole at East Lake Golf Club, the battleground for the 'PO Final 3rd Round' Tour Championship.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Watch out for the 9th hole."

The East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, USA (Par 70, 7,259 yards), the battleground for the final third round of the PGA Tour Playoffs (PO) starting on the night of the 2nd (Korean time), is where the 2021 season's PO journey concludes. Top seed Patrick Cantlay holds a 10-under par advantage, giving him an initial edge. Second seed Tony Finau is at 8-under par, third seed Bryson DeChambeau (both USA) at 7-under par, and fourth seed Jon Rahm (Spain) starts at 6-under par. The winner will instantly hit the '15 million dollar (1.75 billion KRW) jackpot.'

Players are pleased that the course is familiar. While the first and second rounds of the PO change courses every year, the Tour Championship has been held at the same venue for 15 years since the PO began in 2007. The key to winning is 'solid hitting.' With a par 70 layout featuring four par-3 holes and only two par-5 holes (the 6th and 18th), precise iron shots are crucial. Water hazards and bunkers fiercely guard the greens, so missing the green often results in bogeys or worse, which can be fatal.

Indeed, in the past five years, winners such as Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) in 2016, Xander Schauffele in 2017, Tiger Woods (USA) in 2018, McIlroy again in 2019, and Dustin Johnson (USA) last year all showcased precise shots. Woods, in particular, boasted a scrambling rate of 70.83% (1st place) and an average of 1.65 putts per hole (1st place) with his 'stingy putting' despite missing greens in 2018. Johnson combined this with drives up to 360 yards last year.

The final decisive 18th hole at East Lake Golf Club, the battleground of the 'PO Final Round 3' Tour Championship.

This is why experts have named Rahm the 'top favorite' to win. Rahm's iron shot green hit rate is 71.99% (2nd on the PGA Tour), the sharpest among the top seeds. His average driving distance of 308.70 yards is paired with remarkable accuracy. Collin Morikawa (USA) boasts 71.25% (4th place) but is somewhat disadvantaged as the 11th seed (3-under par). Cantlay also has 69.82% (14th place) and has gained confidence from winning the second PO round.

The front nine is manageable up to the 6th hole (par 5), but the real challenge begins at the 7th hole (par 4, 470 yards). The fairways narrow, and two large bunkers lurk on either side of the green. The 8th hole (par 4, 462 yards) has water along the entire left side of the fairway and slopes leftward. The 9th hole (par 3, 218 yards) is daunting due to its length, requiring at least a mid-iron shot. This hole is known as the 'Jim Furyk hole.' In 2010 (then the 18th hole), Furyk famously hit a bunker shot close to the hole to secure a dramatic winning par.

Johnson made six of his seven bogeys last year between holes 7 and 9 over four days. In 2016, the front and back nine layouts were switched. The final champion is usually decided over four holes from 15 to 18. The 15th hole (par 3, 233 yards) features an island green, the 16th hole (par 4, 444 yards) is a dogleg left, and the 17th hole (par 4, 426 yards) tests players with a high-trajectory tee shot over tall trees. The last hole, the 18th (par 5, 590 yards), is lined with lakes and bunkers throughout the fairway, so complacency is not an option.