What would’ve happened had Will Zalatoris played off the rock wall where his tee shot on the par-3 11th hole ended up?
Zalatoris’ ball bounced off the grass short and right of the pin location before tumbling towards a rock wall encompassing the green. The ball somehow didn’t go in the water, instead bouncing multiple times before settling up against the edge of the grass.
It was the third playoff hole at TPC Southwind in the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first playoff event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Zalatoris and Sepp Straka were going punch for punch after the first two playoff holes, but Zalatoris’ tee shot opened a door for Straka. He didn’t capitalize, as his shot instead bounced off the grass and into the water.
Straka then hit his third shot from the drop zone into a bunker behind the green, and his fourth shot nestled past the hole.
Will Zalatoris talks with his caddy at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
So, what if Zalatoris tried to hit his shot?
We’ll never know. With strokes in hand, he took an unplayable and played his third shot from the drop zone. He flipped a wedge to six feet, drained the putt and captured his first PGA Tour title.
But the folks at TPC Southwind returned to the spot where Zalatoris’ ball sat late Sunday afternoon. They recreated the scene, and although they aren’t PGA Tour golfers, the results show that Willy Z likely made the right decision, a winning one.
Zalatoris is now No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the BMW Championship at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware.
Story originally appeared on GolfWeek