Diabolical 8th ruined a couple of final rounds

By MARK CRAIG, Star Tribune

Last update: August 17, 2009 - 12:04 AM

There was no more enjoyable hole to watch than the shortest hole on the longest course in major championship history.

Unless, of course, you were the ones striking the ball during Sunday's final round of the 91st PGA Championship.

For even the world's greatest golfers, Hazeltine National's eighth hole, which played only 167 yards on Sunday, is a diabolical invention when the wind blows, which it did plenty of again on Sunday.

Just ask Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington, who went to the tee at 6 under and left at 1 under. Between Cabrera and Harrington, they had five major titles and took 16 strokes on the eighth hole on Sunday. Each one walked off the green with an 8.

"I thought I had room on the righthand side," said Harrington, whose tee shot ended up in the water. "It was probably two or three yards short from being safe."

That's the problem with the wicked little hole. Especially when the wind blows.

The green is shallow. There's water in front. Sand along the left and back. Throw in a Sunday pin and, well, look out.

Just ask Tiger Woods. Determined not to come up short in the wind, Woods ended up in the back bunker far from the pin. He blasted out to the front fringe and missed the par putt coming back. That dropped him back into a tie with Y.E. Yang, the champion who made par after sticking his tee shot close to the pin.

Overall, the hole played to a 3.418 average, the fourth-hardest hole of the day. There were only five birdies, 20 bogeys, four double bogeys and two "others" that Harrington and Cabrera will never forget.

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