In Control

Make the ball do what you want it to do.

- Gary Woodland

Control is an interesting objective for golfers because it has multiple meanings. One is to control your emotions and stay in the moment. I did that at the U.S. Open, and it’s a big reason I won the tournament. I never got ahead of myself. I tried to execute each shot without thinking beyond it. When you reel offa few pars or birdies in a round, I’m sure a lot of you start to daydream about breaking 80 or shooting your career-best score or winning your flight in the member-guest. It’s been my experience that success in golf comes from not letting your mind wander from the shot you’re about to hit. Another meaning is controlling the ball, and that comes from two things. The first is making a swing that’s easily repeatable and produces a predictable ball flight—like the iron shot I’m using more this year that punches a hole in the sky. Not only did it help me hit 52 of the 72 greens in regulation at the U.S. Open (72 percent), it has made me a much more consistent player. Through mid-June this season, I had eight top-10 finishes in 18 PGA Tour events. I’ll teach that shot to you on the following pages.