Remember that video that made the rounds after Tiger Woods defeated Abraham Ancer at the 2019 Presidents Cup? The one that showed the 15-time major winner shaking hands with Ancer before his putt was even halfway to the hole? Despite being doctored, the internet picked it up and ran with it, partly because it was funny and partly because, while fake, it embodied Woods’ alpha dominance in a way that felt true.

On Thursday at Cherry Hills, we got the realest version of that viral clip we’ll likely ever see when Auburn senior John Marshall Butler drained this bomb on the 15th hole, raising his finger to the heavens months before his putt found the bottom of the cup. Behold the audacity.

Auburn’s John Marshall Butler with one of the earliest, cockiest finger raises on a bomb of a putt you’ll ever see at the US Am. pic.twitter.com/wdPJazm7F8

— Christopher Powers (@CPowers14) August 16, 2023

The icing on the cake was Butler turning his divine finger gun into an uppercut fist-pump. You’re looking upon the work of a true master. This is a boy becoming a man right before our very eyes. And best of all? Butler went on to win his match 3 and 2, the same score by which Woods defeated Ancer back at Royal Melbourne. Coincidence? We think not.

The post Auburn senior punctuates US Amateur bomb with the earliest finger point you will ever see appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Christopher Powers
It wasn’t exactly as stunning as the “Kick Six”, but Auburn’s SEC Championship-winning putt on Sunday was a dagger in its own right for the Alabama faithful hoping to see the Tide win their first men’s conference title since 2014.

After both schools dominated their semifinals matches, Auburn defeating top-seed LSU, 4-1, and Alabama besting Florida, 3-1-1, the Iron Bowl matchup was set for the finals in the second season that the SEC has decided the team title via match play. The Tide took a 2-1 lead in the first three matches at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga., before the Tigers were able to tie it up at 2 when freshman Brandon Mancheno won his match over Alabama freshman Wilson Furr, 2 and 1. That set up an exciting, SEC Championship-deciding match between another Auburn freshman, Wells Padgett, and Crimson Tide senior Jonathan Hardee.

Hardee squared their match at the par-3 17th, nearly acing it and tapping in for birdie. All tied up on the 18th green, Hardee faced a six-footer for par while Padgett had a 20-footer for birdie to win the title, and the freshman delivered in stunning fashion:

WAR EAGLE!@AuburnMGolf defeats Alabama on the 18th hole to win the SEC Championship! ? pic.twitter.com/RrZhODQ5o0

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 29, 2018

As clutch as it gets, and it appeared he knew it was in when the ball was still about five feet from the cup. All kinds of confidence for a freshman. Here’s another look from someone on site:

Wells Padgett winning putt at the SEC Championship…War Eagle! #golf #igersjax #TGANF #juniorgolf #titliest #nikegolf #jax # fl #florida #northflorida #golfing #boysgolf #girlsgolf #risingstars #underarmour #uskidsgolf #workout #golfswing #juniorfitness #masters #usga #sec pic.twitter.com/c9UTSOsxQs

— TGA of North Florida (@TGANF) April 29, 2018

“That was the biggest putt I’ve ever made in my life,” Padgett said. “It was great being able to do it for my team. To do it as an individual in a tournament is cool, but doing it for your team is the greatest feeling.”

“Wells was the anchor all week in match play,” said Auburn coach Nick Clinard said. “We had him in that hole because we knew his confidence level in that spot, and we knew that he could come through in the clutch and, boy, did he ever.”

Padgett’s putt gives Auburn its first SEC men’s golf title since 2002, and there fourth in program history, something alum Jason Dufner is very happy about:

Championship Sunday!! ?. Proud of @AuburnMGolf for adding to the trophy case today.. lots of hard work and dedication goes into winning team championships in SEC.. Auburn family should be proud!! #tookbamadown

— Jason Dufner (@JasonDufner) April 29, 2018

For Alabama, the No. 6 ranked team in the country, it’s the school’s seventh SEC Championship runner-up finish.

The post Watch this Auburn freshman drain a clutch walk-off putt to stun rival Alabama and win SEC Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.