Andrew Novak knew what was holding him back. 

“I was just truly one of the worst putters in the world for — well, on the PGA Tour for about eight months,” he said.  

“And I turned a bunch of 66s and 67s into 69s and 70s, and that doesn’t really get it done out here.”

But ask Novak earlier this year why that was happening, and taking a putter to the shin a couple 100 times would be a more pleasant experience. 

All of that made for a good story on Friday night, after he had shot a 10-under 61 to take a three-stroke lead after the second round of the PGA Tour’s Vidanta World Mexico Open. In tying both a personal best and the Vidante Villarte course record, Novak also made nearly everything he touched with the putter, ranking first in the field in strokes gained: putting. 

Thing is, though, he had been doing that earlier this year on the practice greens. 

Everyone liked what they saw too. 

“Bounced around a few different putters,” Novak said, “and would work with some of the reps, do all these, you know, testing on machines and basically get told every Monday and Tuesday that I’m aiming the putter elite. I’m very consistent, rolling it great. Everything I’m doing is perfect. 

“And then I go and I’m the worst putter in the field. And I got very frustrated with that every single week, being told that there’s nothing wrong with my putting and then just being dead last.”

He was lost. Every door he opened seemingly led to nowhere.  

Then he opened one to a closet. 

There, somewhere amongst some clutter, he spotted a putter he’d used “a long time back in the day.” It was rusted. It was old. Hell if he knew what the lie or the loft on it was. But he put it in play in early August at the Wyndham Championship. 

And look at him now. Before Wyndham, he had posted three top 20 finishes (and a fourth at the Zurich Classic, a team event) and was ranked 155th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting. But starting with the Wyndham, Novak:  

– Tied for seventh there — and finished 33rd in SG: putting;

– Tied for 17th at the Biltmore Championship Asheville — and finished 31st in SG: putting;

– Tied for 44th at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship — and finished 54th in SG: putting; 

– And he’s leading this week through 36 holes. 

Of course, all of this isn’t just the putter. Friday night, Novak said he understood that. 

The clever switch had flipped a switch.  

“I think maybe I was just overthinking some things,” he said. “And, yeah, I’ve just gone back to hitting putts. 

“I might do some chalk line stuff now for, like, start line, but really keeping it very simple and trying not to overthink it.”

The Vidanta World Mexico Open’s third round is Saturday. The third round will be broadcast from 4-7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. 

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