One of the big storylines in the build-up to last year’s Players Championship was the return of the infamous hanging oak just beyond TPC Sawgrass’ sixth tee box. The tree died in 2014, but returned in 2025 as part of a course-wide revitalization project much to the chagrin of players (and the sadistic delight of fans). Last year, nearly every player opted to sling it low under the arching branches, but this year three-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin is testing out a radical new approach. Check it out.
New line at No. 6 just dropped. pic.twitter.com/5D8Z9OvRyY
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 10, 2026
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That’s right. Instead of going under the tree, Griffin opted to go around during Monday’s practice round, playing a towering fade to the center of the fairway. “Bang,” he said, punctuating his daring new line with a little swagger. Sitting here on Tuesday, this feels more like a theoretical approach than a realistic one. Players still have to contend with a bunch of trees, hit it through an even smaller window and if it doesn’t fade, fuhgeddaboudit.
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But who knows. Things can get weird down the stretch. Winds can change. Players start overthinking things. Anything can happen. For now, though, this is just a fun clip—yet another example of how good these guys really are. If you see Griffin aiming way left for come Saturday or Sunday, however, buckle up. It’s gonna be a wild ride.
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
