Hill Has a Tiger in the Tank by Terry Norris

............GOLF

 


photo courtesy of NC State
    Matt Hill started his first career professional like he had a Tiger in his tank.
 
    As an invite from Tiger each professional is given a courtesy Mercedes Benz and $100 gas card for the tournament to use.  For a  twenty year old kid struggling to get through school and never having his own vehicle Matt Hill thought all that was pretty sweet.  Matt was definitely pumped.  Sweet was his first shot.  Sweet was his first hole at a professional tournament.   On the tough tenth tee of the historic Congressional Course Matt stepped up and hit a 220 yard shot within six feet and finishing the putt for a birdie on his first hole.  This after watching his playing partner Chris Stroud of Texas knock his shot in the water.  Earlier in the week the host himself Tiger Woods also tanked his tee shot in the pond while playing the Pro-Am with partner Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys.  So it was quite a start for Matt Hill. 
 
    Hill continued to strike the ball extremely well despite slipping to 3 over at one point in the round.  There were some moments where the putter showed some nervous times but Hill eventually turned in a final one over par 71 on the tough Congressional Course.  Hill was a couple of short putts from going under par.  A couple bad rolls particularly on the eleventh into the water and an unexpected roll from a sand shot later in the round and Hill could have seen his name on the leaderboard.  As his first outing on the professional tour the amateur Hill definitely proved to all that he belonged with the big guys. 
   
He did finish 7 strokes behind his host Tiger Woods who shot a 64 six under par round and the roars were certainly heard around the course as usual.  As usual in most PGA events the tournament seems to be all about Tiger. Tiger sits 2 behind leader Anthony Kim.

          

Hill also matched fellow Bright's Grove golfer Mike Weir.  Weir again struggled with parts of his game.  If it wasn't for a great short game Weir would have been beaten by the amateur Hill in their first faceoff of hockey playing kids turned golfers.  Weir seems to be so caught up in perfecting his swing that he is forgetting to just play the game he loves. 
 
    It is quite a contrast in approaches between Weir and Hill and how they are getting around the course.  Weir with years of experience, sport psychologists, and professional caddie Brendan Little spend a lot of time studying their yardage books, reading putts together and practicing swing perfection throughout the round.  Hill on the other with pickup first time caddie and college buddy "Kent" seems to spend little or no time on such things and Hill seems so confident with just concentrating on making the shot at hand. Yet for this day the results are the same and the younger amateur seems happier with his game and definitely did less stick handling around the course. 
   
    Both golfers sit in the middle of the pack and currently would make the cut at plus one.  For Hill it would be a great first tournament achievement while for Weir it has to be disappointment.
   
Tiger Woods certainly has made no mistake on the invitation to Matt Hill.  Hill has made the most of his chance and is enjoying more than his courtesy Mercedes.  Matt Hill is certainly enjoying the ride even if when Tiger puts one in the tank.