The Englishman failed to reach the green with a three-wood, so instead opted for the driver.
WATCH: Poulter Hits Driver On Par-3 17th At PGA Championship
During Wednesday’s practice rounds of Kiawah Island before the PGA Championship starts on Thursday, Ian Poulter decided to use a driver on the notoriously difficult 17th hole.
Playing in a group with Tommy Fleetwood, Bernd Wiesberger and Matt Wallace, the quartet all opted for the three-wood, though to varying degrees of success.
Fleetwood and Wiesberger both reached the green, while Wallace’s shot sparked cries of “fore” as it veered off to the left.
Poulter’s shot, on the other hand, ended up short, landing in the water that separates the tee from the green.
Come for the 260 yard par 3 nearest the pin challenge, stay for @IanJamesPoulter having to hit driver off the tee
Player-caddie fun on 17 @KiawahResort.#CaddieWorld #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/1q5wQ9Mz9H
— Caddie World (@caddie_world) May 19, 2021
The Englishman then surprisingly decided to use a driver, hitting a shot that produced comments of “nice shot” and “not bad”.
The third shortest hole on the course at 221 yards, the group played from slightly further back during their practice round on Wednesday in order to maintain the tee area for the action later that week.
Regarded as one of the most famous and treacherous holes in golf, Pete Dye designed the demanding par-three with the tee short played over water.
When designing the course he suggested that players should aim for par on this hole, otherwise they risk jeopardising their round due to the surrounding water.
There are also two deep bunkers to the left, leaving little to aim at with the club selection extremely important.
Therefore, Poulter’s choice of driver seems surprising, especially considering that he managed to accurately play the shot, even if it was for fun.
However, Poulter isn’t the only one to have used a driver on the tricky 17th this week.
60 year-old Sonny Skinner ripping a driver into the par-3 17th into wind. Caught the left side of the green.
Fist pump at the end makes it
pic.twitter.com/9YJxba6VjI
— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) May 19, 2021
Club pro Sonny Skinner reached the left side of the green with the driver as well, shared to Twitter in a slow motion shot of the 60-year-old.
Skinner displayed his enjoyment of the shot with a fist pump, on a tee that could prove tricky for players over the weekend.
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