THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Zach Johnson doesn’t like ranking the best shots of his career. The Masters champion has had plenty of them, but doesn’t really keep a list handy.
And so while his 58-yard pitch shot from the drop area on the final hole of regulation to save par at the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge and force a playoff might be one of the best, he doesn’t know exactly where it compares with some of his others.
“It’s probably No. 1 recovery shot,” he said with a laugh. “You know, I don’t know where it will rank. I can think of a number of shots that I had to execute and I came through.
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“I would say the Presidents Cup one this year was a big one. [On] 15. I think we were 3 up with four to go and I made it from the fairway to win the match. I mean, that kind of stuff. That was big. Plus I got an extra two and a half hours of sleep as a result of that shot. And that’s no embellishment. If we’d have had to go to the 16th hole, we wouldn’t have finished.
“And obviously some shots I can remember in tournaments I’ve won, there’s been a handful here and there. Ryder Cups, there’s been a handful, just executing shots down the stretch.
“But you know, hitting that shot there, if I’d have hit it to a foot, it would have been a great shot. I’m trying to make a 5 and hopefully just get in with a 5. That’s what you’re trying to do.”