San Antonio – The second Andrew Novak contacted an iron 5 on the 16th TPC hole San Antonio on Saturday, he knew he needed a divine intervention.
Although Novak had the Valero Texas Open a year ago with a shot that rebounded on the stands of the nicknamed hole “Lawyer“The round of Saturday was played in a strong wind, and the former star of the Wofford College had no idea what could become of his capricious shot when leaving the Tee box.
But Novak, who is still looking for his first PGA Tour victory, didn’t need to worry.
The ball kissed the bottom of the structure and bounced directly on the green, giving it a 5 -foot sneaktened putt which was one of the luckiest shots of a 69 which was one of the best rounds of the day.
“This pin was hidden there to the right and you don’t really want to miss a lot on the left, so you go somehow,” he said. “I pushed it, the wind caught it. Obviously, not a great blow, but I know that if it is there, there is space, it can be ok. I did not expect it to break down and go on green, it was obviously ridiculous. Not the best swing and sometimes the golf you reward you.”
Of course, there was still work to do. Novak had to draw the putt, giving it three consecutive stews on the by 3 for the week and helping when he ended 9 under the peer, three strokes behind the leader Brian Harman and all alone in second place.
“It was about as much pressure as I felt it on a putt for some time because the two guys in my group, Carson (Young) and Emiliano (Grillo), also struck big shots and made their putts,” said Novak. “So, we had two birdies. I can’t take this break, then I miss the putt, be the only guy not to be sneak. Fortunately, made a good putt, paid it right away.”
Since he realized what good fortune brought the stands, he stopped to offer his John Hancock to the place where he struck.
Novak, one of the many players on the tour to settle in St. Simons Island, GA.is becoming the best player that the Wofford golf program has ever produced. It is only the second of this small school in South Carolina to win a PGA Tour card, after William McGirt.
McGirt always has one thing on Novak: a victory for the PGA Tour, at the 2016 Memorial. Novak could become the second former Wofford to win during the tour, and he would have the additional bonus to bring him into the Masters field. It will probably need a grainy effort in what should be difficult conditions, but Novak thinks he has the right match plan.
“It will be just patience,” he said. “The pars will do very well. Obviously, it depends on what the guys do, but if I can just keep him in front of me, stay away from the disaster, keep it out of the jungle, give my putter a few chances, see how it goes.”
