GOLF.AI • Nov 9, 2025

The Monster of El Cardonal: Hole 15

In the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship, the par-4 15th hole at El Cardonal emerged as the tournament's primary antagonist, a dream-crusher that turned the leaderboard on its head. Its design—featuring treacherous native areas, tricky slopes, and a punishing pin location—created a perfect storm of drama, elevating the course itself to a main character in the competition.

The hole’s most notable victim was Luke List, whose round was completely derailed by an octuple-bogey 12, the second-highest score on a single PGA TOUR hole this year. The catastrophe unfolded as List's pitch shot from just off the green repeatedly refused to hold, rolling back down the unforgiving slope time and again. His struggle became a vivid illustration of the fine line between precision and disaster at El Cardonal.

In stark contrast to List's disaster was Trevor Cone's moment of brilliance. On a day when the 15th hole yielded no other birdies, Cone achieved the impossible, sinking a spectacular, long-distance putt that defied the odds. The announcer's call perfectly captured the surreal moment: "Of course he misses all the short ones and then from way downtown pours it in." Cone's birdie was a singular triumph against a hole that had conquered everyone else.

Even the tournament leader, Garrick Higgo, admitted the hole's ferocity. He called the pin placement and the green itself "crazy," acknowledging that its design was the hole's greatest defense. Higgo revealed that his strategy was a departure from his aggressive play elsewhere; he aimed conservatively for the middle of the green, content to escape with par. This cautious approach from the leader underscored the hole's reputation and sets a dramatic stage for the final round: how will the leaders handle the monster on 15 with the tournament on the line?