Thomas Brown (panelist since 2015; has played 95 of the Top 100): golf.com
On the private side, Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket, Thailand is a favorite of mine with its intimidating close. In the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic at Blue Canyon, Tiger Woods finished nine under over 72 holes and then prevailed over Ernie Els in a playoff. Japanese golf architect Yoshikazu Kato built the closing stretch from the heroic school of golf design. The site is an old aluminum mine where distressed crevices and canyons have turned into tropical waterways for golfers as lateral and frontal penalty areas. The 17th hole is well-cited as one of the best long par-3 carry shots in the world. At 220 yards with the tropical waters in front and on the right, the play into a sharply left-to-right sloping green is to figure out how to remain dry for an uphill par putt below the hole. Blue Canyon recently reopened after an extensive renovation and regrassing project. Fortunately, the property had enough land to allow for the 18th hole to add a new tee to remain as a long finishing par-4 with water right and an approach to a steeply pitched back-to-front green.
The Majestic “Big Cat of the Woods- Long Drive Challenge” 18th Hole at Canyon Course
