After contemplating throwing his hickory shaft putter onto a bar-b-que Sandy Lyle now intends to pack the putter into his bag for this year’s Open Championship.
Lyle turned back the clock on day one of his 34th Masters with a decision to go with the hickory shaft club that seemed praiseworthy given he is the reigning World Hickory Champion.
However after rounds of 74 and 76, and with Lyle’s second round a mix of just one birdie at the 13th along with three bogeys and a ninth hole double bogey, Lyle was left counting the cost of a respective 32 and 33 putts.
“I was threatening at one stage to put it on the bar-b-que and I’m sure the hickory would have added a nice flavour to my steak,” he said smiling.
Sandy Lyle showing off his hickory shaft putter to South Korean Yang Gunn. (Photo – AFP/Getty)
“But then I had not been really enjoying my putting at all and it’s been poor of late.
“I had a couple of three putts the first round but it felt okay and I didn’t disgrace myself with it because I also did have a few lip outs
“But I actually enjoyed the feeling of hitting the ball with the hickory putter as I had been struggling with the heavier, modern putters.”
Lyle’s next event is back to the Champions Tour in Atlanta for Friday’s starting Greater Gwinnett Championship on the former BellSouth TPC Sugarloaf host venue.
And before leaving the course in the company of new manager, Gordon Sherry, Lyle reflected on his Masters week.
“The start of the week I was very concerned about my own game as I wasn’t really as sharp as I would have liked to be,” he said.
“The quality of my iron shots was very poor and I had been working on a few aspects with my swing and it was gradually getting comfortable.
“All in all, I have come away with my spirits a little higher and I have hit the ball a lot crisper and directional wise. It’s just around the greens I messed as I should have been one or two fewer over these two rounds.”
And there was some comments as well on 21-year old Jordan Spieth.
“Spieth had a real taste of being in contention last year and we’ve seen already this week he is handling the situation in a lot better manner,” said Lyle.
“He shows a lot of steel, a lot of confidence and a lot of fire power and he’s playing well.
“I watched the highlight on TV last night and Jordan made a lot of things happen for himself in that round of 64.
“So there is no reason he cannot go from strength to strenght and i can’t see him backing off.”
