Johnson Wagner Deserves An Emmy For Putting His Chipping Yips On Display For All To See On The PGA Championship Broadcast
First and foremost, let's just take a moment to recognize the fact that having the chipping yips is a privilege. Because it implies that at some point in life, you actually had your wedges pretty dialed. A bump & run with your 7 iron isn't the only play you have from the rough 15 yards off the green. You've never considered a 40-yard Texas wedge after chunking the shit out of your approach shot.
Obviously Johnson Wagner isn't like the rest of us weekend warriors out there. He's a 3x winner on the PGA Tour. He's been a great addition to the Golf Channel broadcast being able to recreate a bunch of situations that happen throughout the tournament. But when he's dealing with a case of the chipping yips and he has to recreate this shot from Xander?
I think I'd be praying for a severe case of technical difficulties. I'd go full Shooter McGavin and hire a driver to crash into TV towers. Anything at all to make sure that I wouldn't need to skull the everliving shit out of my 60 degree while trying to hit a nippy little chip that one hops and nuzzles up right next to the hole. It's bad enough when you feel like you have no idea what you're doing with a wedge in your hands while you're just playing with 3 of your buddies. Now imagine you're on a nationally televised broadcast during one of the 4 biggest weeks of the year on the golf calendar.
The fact that Johnson Wagner still went through with this shot is one of the most heroic displays of journalism we've ever seen. This man proved that he's willing to do anything it takes for the broadcast. He's the hero that all us high handicappers deserve. Truly one of us.
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