The BWD Tournament Hole of the Week: May 25 – 28, 2017. The 18th at Colonial CC, Home of DEAN & DELUCA Invitational.

Tournament: DEAN & DELUCA Invitational, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, TX
Hole: 18th – Par 4, 441 Yards
Architect(s): John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell – 1936

Architectural Summary:
The finishing hole at Colonial Country Club stresses precision in order to score well on the 441-yard par four. The slight dogleg left features mature trees flanking both sides of the landing area that will offer challenges for competitors that miss the 29-yard-wide fairway. From the tee, players will favor a right-to-left shot shape to navigate around the dogleg and achieve the optimal angle into the green from the undulating fairway. Competitors will likely opt to hit a 3-wood off the tee for greater control to position their tee shot on the fairway. Should competitors successfully find the landing area, the approach will require a short iron to wedge depending upon competitor’s tee shot. The approach will also stress accuracy as a 125 yard long pond protects the narrow green to the left and three greenside bunkers guard the front – a horseshoe-shaped hazard on the front left and two additional bunkers front right. The slightly elevated green measures 35 yards deep by 18 yard wide and features undulations throughout the putting surface as well as a bifurcating ridge. Additionally, a steep fall-off is located to the left of the green towards the pond, which will require a challenging up and down for those who find the slope but are fortunate enough to stop short of the water hazard.

Statistical Analysis:
In 2016, the 18th hole played to a scoring average of 4.03 (1 Eagle, 71 Birdies, 240 Pars, 57 Bogeys, 10 Doubles, and 2 “Others”).

Fun Facts:

  • During 2016 Dean & Deluca Invitational, Troy Merritt (finished T-17) holed out his 129-yard approach for an eagle on the 18th hole during the third round of the tournament. Gene Littler was the first competitor to eagle the 18th hole at Colonial during the 1971 tournament en route to his victory.
  • Annika Sorenstam parred the 18th hole both times she played the hole when she became the first woman since 1946 to compete in a PGA Tour event during the 2003 season.
  • In 2008, Phil Mickelson pulled off a seemingly impossible recovery shot from the trees to the left of the fairway on the home hole to break a three-way tie for the lead. After Mickelson seemed that he would not be able to reach the green, Mickelson hit over the trees to land within 9 feet of the pin to set up a birdie for his 34th PGA Tour victory.