TUMULTUOUS TEXAS OPEN THURSDAY, PART DEUX

By Torleif Sorenson on 3/27/15

Golf was hard enough today. I didn't need this to happen on 11. Hit it hard, and it didn't even get to the fairway!! pic.twitter.com/Jm4pPwmjKh

— Troy Merritt (@TROYMERRITT_PGA) March 27, 2015

This is was Troy Merritt's Wilson 2-iron following his tee-shot at the 11th hole in Thursday's opening round of the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. We have only one question:

Was Merritt using a 160-compression ball?

At any rate, Merritt was careful not to trash his equipment supplier:

Still love my @WilsonGolf equipment!! Just hit that 2 iron in the perfect spot, I guess. I'll have a new one in the bag shortly!!

— Troy Merritt (@TROYMERRITT_PGA) March 27, 2015

We haven't seen anybody overpower his equipment this much since watching and hearing the former drummer for Prince, Minneapolis-born Michael Bland. The "Brown Mound o' Sound" once cracked a Zildjian Earth Ride cymbal — which is so thick and heavy that another drummer described it as "the best-sounding manhole cover" he had ever played. But as this six-string-bass-wielding musician can tell you, Bland's playing is more than just about power. His timing is both impeccable and funky.


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