Thanks for making my point though!
Like 13Aces says, driving accuracy stats are not considered as important as they once were. The long hitters don't mind being in the rough.
They will when they get to Torrey this year and try to play out of it in their first practice round!
When I played the course last week with Ashwin Arasu, the rough had been mowed two to three days prior. (they can't mow all the rough in one day, it takes too long.
The rough was mown to 4 inches just like the PGA Tour agronimist requested. It didn't look that deep or penal. Then I hit it in the left rough on #1 South and it took us both looking about 3 minutes just to find the ball. We knew where it was but we couldn't see it until we were directly over it.
I had about 195 yards to a middle pin and my 5 iron practice swings wouldn't even go through the grass, it might as well have been in iceplant. With all the rain in SD lately, the blades are extra thick and sticky this year.
I hit a good wedge as hard as I could and the ball came out like a wet dish rag and went about 70 yards. I was thrilled, I seriously thought we wouldn't even find my drive once we started looking.
They usually mow the rough for the last time about 3 or 4 days before the Pro-Am, then they let it go all week. So I was playing in considerably less rough than the Tour Pros will face under tournament conditions.
Im willing to bet this year will have the higest cut score ever at Torrey for a regular tour event. I don't know that stat but I would bet it blind this year.