The U.S. PGA Tour has created an amateur champion for the first time in 33 years. Nick Dunlap of the U.S., who won the title at the American Express in January, is the star of the event. Dunlap, a sophomore at the University of Alabama, has achieved the amateur championship, which had not occurred since Phil Mickelson in 1991.
Dunlap's milestone was never easy. The challenges remained until the end. At the 72nd hole (par 4), Dunlap sent his tee shot to a rough that was far off the right side of the fairway, perhaps because he was too conscious of the water on the left side. He couldn't even put his second shot on the green, and the ball fell into the rough on the right side. The hole was 24 meters. If Dunlap failed to put his third shot close to the hole and blocked it with one putt, he would have to play overtime with Christian Bejaweedenhout of South Africa. Moreover, there was water behind the hole, adding to the psychological pressure.
Amid the extreme tension, Dunlap, who carefully checked the distance and line several times between the ball and the hole, finally took a chip shot. The ball stopped 1.5 meters past the hole, and Dunlap calmly dropped his par putt to win the title.
Amateur golfers often encounter such situations. Notably, they would get nervous if they bet even a small amount, so they often hit the back of the ball or place toppings. What is the secret of consistent chip shots even when psychological pressure is high.
"You have to actively return your body in the direction of the target to make no mistake," advised coach Choi Hyun, who teaches PGA Tour member Im Sung-jae and others. "If you just hit your arm without your body turning, your hand and body will play separately, increasing your chances of hitting the ground or topping. In addition, if you only hit your arm, the ball will rise higher than the intended trajectory as the wrist rotates after the impact, increasing the probability that the ball will go to the left side of the target as the distance is short or the pace is closed."
The photo shows Dunlap's chip shot at the 18th hole in the fourth round. After the impact, his body and the club are in harmony and turning in the direction of the target. Another thing to remember when taking a chip shot is the address. It is better to move your body weight by about 60 percent to your left foot to minimize the left and right movements and to slightly open your left foot to secure a passage for the club to pass smoothly. When doing a backswing, you feel a sense of unity between your shoulders and arms without bending your wrist, and think that you should raise it only up to your waist level. You should use your big muscles to make no mistake. 토토사이트