Emotional McCarthy sounds off after loss
COVER PHOTO: Denny McCarthy falls to his knees after missing a par putt in the playoff against Viktor Hovland during the final round of the 48th annual Memorial Tournament. Picture by Sam Fahmi/Columbus Wired.
It’s not easy taking an L in sports. It’s even tougher when you had the W in the palm of your hands but let defeat get snatched from the jaws of victory.
That’s exactly what happened to Denny McCarthy at the 48th annual Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.
“I'm heartbroken right now, it really sucks,” the eight-year TOUR pro said. “I thought this was going to be the week. It just felt like I got a couple good breaks and I was just making the par putts and just felt like nothing could get in my way today. Yeah, it sucks. It really sucks.”
The world’s 55th-ranked golfer, who’s still in search of his first TOUR win, had a two-shot lead at 8-under down the stretch but hiccuped on the final hole for a bogey. It was his first bogey of the tournament on par-4, No. 18.
Meanwhile, Viktor Hovland was tied with Scottie Scheffler in second place at 6-under but birdied par-4, No. 17. Suddenly, the world’s seventh-ranked golfer had second place all to himself. He would go on to par No. 18.
All Hovland had to do was wait and see what McCarthy did on No. 18, who was in the pairing behind him.
After McCarthy landed his third shot from the fairway 23 feet above the hole, he pulled his par putt five feet past the cup but was able to sink the next putt for the bogey, forcing the playoff.
Both players returned to the 18th tee box for the first playoff hole and McCarthy put his tee shot in the right rough to the right of the fairway bunker while Hovland rested his onto the first-cut rough right up against the second-cut.
McCarthy’s second shot landed just below the green on the curtain but took an unfortuitous roll back down the hill. Hovland flew his onto the green 58 feet below the hole. McCarthy needed a miraculous third shot and it was a zinger that started hot but he pulled the string on it and it sat down, pin-high less than 12 feet to the right of the hole. Hovland put his birdie putt less than seven away.
McCarthy then absolutely had to make the 12-foot par putt because chances were good Hovland was going to drain his very make-able seven-footer. However, McCarthy’s putt bounced off the left lip of the cup and rested two feet away. Hovland sank his and the tournament was over.
Heartbreaking for a guy who said he thought it was going in and putting is the strength of his game.
“I'm a good putter. But it's more so, I think, the attitude that I have. It's like playing defense in basketball. I feel like I can make every putt. That's a great feeling to have, especially when you're coming down the stretch.”
According to the PGA TOUR’s official website, McCarthy ranked first in putting.
“I can probably even get better at putting still. And that sounds crazy, but I can still get better in that area.”
He seemed a little miffed, though, when it came to the conditions of the greens, especially the back nine. He didn’t blame them for his loss but it was apparent he wasn’t happy, calling them “baked”, “purple” and “concrete”.
“The greens on the back nine were, it was an ice rink, pretty much. They were literally, you're tapping down marks and your putter slides.”
In the end, he said playing in Jack’s tournament and ultimately being in the mix was a great learning experience, something he can build on.
“I like hard golf courses, I like championship golf. I'm a very fierce competitor, so when the lights are the brightest and everyone's watching these elevated events and major golf championships, I love that. As much as it sucks right now, to finish runner-up here this week, I love being in that situation. That's what I play golf for. So with a couple majors around the corner, another elevated event coming up, I'm excited about where my game is and looking forward to having another opportunity to win a tournament.”