Scottie Scheffler loses it over PGA Championship decision in rare outburst
CHARLOTTE, N.C.— Scottie Scheffler opened some eyes Thursday when he stepped out of his usual flat-line character and criticized the PGA of America for its decision not to play lift, clean, place for the opening round of the PGA Championship at soggy Quail Hollow.The PGA of America, which is the governing body for this major championship, issued a statement Wednesday night that it would play the ball down, as it lies, despite the fact that the course had taken on some five inches of rain in the lead-up to the tournament.That made for a number of players having mud balls, which alters the way the ball behaves when struck — even by the best players in the word.As an example, Scheffler, the No.
1 ranked player in the world, and defending PGA champion Xander Schauffele, who was playing with Scheffler, both hit tee shots to the middle of the fairway on the 16th hole and had mud on their balls.They both hit their approach shots hooked to the left and into the water and took double bogeys.Scheffler, one of the least outspoken players in the game, afterward made it clear he thought the PGA of America should have employed lift, clean and place for the first round.He said players who encountered what he and Schauffele did on 16 were penalized after hitting perfect drives into the fairway.“This is going to be the last answer that I give on playing it up or down,’’ Scheffler began, sounding more chafed than you ever hear him.
“I mean, I don’t make the rules.I think when you’re looking at the purest forms of golf, like if you’re going to go play links golf, there’s absolutely no reason on a links golf course you should play the ball up.
It doesn’t matter how much rain they get.The course could be flooded under water and the ball is still going bounce somehow because of the way the turf is and the ground underneath the turf.“In American golf, it’s significantly different.
When you have overseeded fairways that are not sand capped, there’s going to ...