Rose And Hanson Win Tyco Golf Skills Challenge
On Monday, European Ryder Cup teammates Justin Rose and Peter Hanson won the 21st annual Tyco Golf Skills Challenge at the Breakers. Rose and Hanson beat Dustin Johnson and Keegan Bradley to secure the title and the $285,000 prize. Ryder Cup rivals Johnson and Bradley won $223,000 for second place. The other teams were Zach Johnson and Kyle Stanley, and Mark O’Meara and Mark Calcavecchia.
In long-running post-FedEx Cup competition sanctioned by the PGA Tour, the Tyco Golf Skills Challenge consists of eight contests designed to test players’ basic abilities. The Long Drive, Mid Iron, Bunker Shot, Chip Shot, Trouble Shot, Short Iron – are followed by the “Reverse Scramble,” representing the seventh and eighth skills. The Reverse Scramble, unlike the traditional scramble format, has the opposing team to select which shot its rival twosome must play. This new dimension is ideal for the Tyco Skills Challenge which strives to show off the players’ personalities. The players are even furnished with microphones throughout play.
Bradley and Johnson won the long drive with Bradley 270 yard shot before also winning the mid-iron and chip-shot. Calcavecchia and O’Meara won the trouble shot and short iron.
Ultimately, the competition came down to the Reverse Scramble event. The Reverse Scramble went to tee-offs before being decided in a sudden death chip-off. Hanson chipped to within 2 feet, 10 inches of the hole from 43 feet, beating Bradley’s chip shot that was 3 feet, 6 inches away from the hole.
“The Ryder Cup? It crosses your mind, I guess,” said Rose. “Emotions are high at the Ryder Cup, but you always have that respect. Here, you still want to feel that adrenaline. The competitive juices always flow.”
The Tyco Golf Skills Challenge was taped and will be broadcast on NBC Sports on December 29-30 from 4-6 p.m. in all time zones. It will be the only golf on network television that holiday weekend.