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Top 11 golf shots of 2017

By T.J. Auclair
Published on
Top 11 golf shots of 2017

How did he do that?

If you've ever gone to a PGA Tour event, you've likely found yourself asking that very question repeatedly.

The amount of talent out there is just amazing. They can pull off shots that the rest of us can't even comprehend.

RELATED: 13 of the best moments from the 2017 major championships

Here's a look at the 11 shots that made our collective jaws drop in 2017.

11. Justin Thomas 3-wood on the 18th hole at the U.S. Open

The 18th hole at Erin Hills was playing an insane 667 yards. Piece of cake for the man who would go on to become the PGA Champion two months later.

After hitting a perfect drive, Thomas had 299 yards left to the hole.

That's when he absolutely ripped a 3-wood to within a 8 feet of the hole and swept in the eagle putt. Perfection.

10. Si Woo Kim's driver off the deck at the Players Championship

During the third round at TPC Sawgrass, Kim, the eventual Players Champion, found the rough with his tee shot on the par-4 14th and had 268 yards left to the green.

Instead of laying up, Kim surprised many when he pulled his driver out.

Clearly, it was the right play. Kim smoked it onto the green.

9. Rory McIlroy on the 10th hole at Quail Hollow

It was just the first hole of the second round for McIlroy, but it was one of the most amazing pars you'll ever see.

After pushing his second shot well right on the par-5 hole, McIlroy got an unfortunate bounce down a cart path and was some 80 yards or so from the hole. His only clear, tree-free path to the green was right back up the cart path.

His hope, it seemed, was to advance his ball into the greenside bunker just past the path.

But, Rory did a whole lot better than that.

Hooding a 6-iron, McIlroy pounded a low shot into the paved path, bouncing the ball over the bunker and onto the green before it rolled just off into the fringe.

Two putts later, he had a head-scratching par.

8. Dustin Johnson's drive on 18 at The Northern Trust

It wasn't so much the drive. We all know Johnson can smash it.

This was all about the line. There's a lake right in front of the tee box at Glen Oaks Club. Johnson acted like all he saw was fairway. He launched that thing right over the lake as if it wasn't even there.

It was a huge advantage over Jordan Spieth in the playoff. After the drive, Johnson just flipped a little wedge shot in there and knocked down the birdie putt for the win.

7. Jordan Spieth from the driving range on No. 13 at Royal Birkdale

Knowing the rules and his options, Spieth saved the tournament with his 3-iron from the driving range that set up a bogey.

Spieth couldn't see anything but dunes in front of him. Using caddie Michael Greller as a human compass, Spieth unleashed this long iron shot and somehow wound up just off the green.

What could have been a disaster turned out to be a tiny blip in what became one of the most incredible closing stretches in major championship history.

6. Justin Thomas ace at the WGC-Mexico Championship

Holes in one are awesome.

This one from Thomas on the 232-yard, par-3 13th in Mexico City was amazing.

It wasn't just that it went in, but how it went in -- one big bounce and then directly into the bottom of the cup.

5. Matt Kuchar's ace on No. 16 at Augusta National

There's nothing like the back nine on Sunday at the Masters.

So many unbelievable things can happen -- both good and bad.

On one of the most iconic par-3 holes in golf -- the 16th -- Kuchar wowed the patrons with this beauty.

4. Jhonattan Vegas's ace at PGA National

During the final round of the Honda Classic, Vegas made easy work of one of golf's most daunting holes.

The 173-yard, par-3 15th hole at PGA National is part of the grueling Bear Trap and requires the player to carry water pretty much the length of the hole.

That wasn't an issue for Vegas.

3. Jon Rahm cans a 60-foot eagle putt on 72nd hole of Farmers Insurance Open

The Spanish sensation would win the tournament by three strokes, but this was a classy way to cap off a great week.

From the back of the 18th green at Torrey Pines South, Rahm hit the purest imaginable putt.

The celebration that followed was almost as good as the putt itself.

2. Sergio Garcia's second shot on 15 in final round of the Masters

Trailing by one shot at the time, Garcia knew he needed to make a move if he was going to slip into a green jacket.

At the par-5 15th, after a perfect drive, Garcia went for the green and produced this gorgeous shot.

It set up a short eagle putt that Garcia would make. Not long after, he would defeat Justin Rose on the first hole of a playoff to claim his first major win.

1. Jordan Spieth's bunker hole out at the Travelers Championship

In a playoff with Daniel Berger, both players were in less-than-ideal position after their respective approach shots to the par-4 18th green at TPC River Highlands.

Spieth, playing from a greenside bunker, went first...

And like the superstar that he is, the multiple major champ holed the shot sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy. He tossed his wedge, Greller tossed the bunker rake and they went up and nailed the celebratory chest bump.

Berger, meanwhile, gave a sportsmanlike thumbs up.

When Berger failed to convert his long birdie try, Spieth and Greller were able to resume the party.