Golf fans were left bemused on Sunday at the US Open after a short tap-in putt from Gordon Sargent jumped out of the hole on the 18th at Los Angeles Country Club.
The young American, who won the low amateur honors at this year’s championship, went to tap in for par at the finishing hole and, to his credit, the putt went in dead center. However, his ball popped up and back out of the hole in what was a rare, confusing moment.
As the ball jumped out, it meant that the unlucky break cost him a shot, with a number of figures in the game questioning what had just happened on social media.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald called it “unacceptable”. “This is unacceptable! Does the @USGA go fix this mid round? This should never happen,” Donald tweeted.
This is unacceptable! Does the @USGA go fix this mid round? This should never happen 🥴 https://t.co/XibvOJAqxxJune 18, 2023
“This happened to Gordon Sargent on 18. Imagine if it happened later today on a putt to win the U.S. Open,” CBS Sports’ Kyle Porter wrote on Twitter, which was briefly taken over by the bizarre moment.
This happened to Gordon Sargent on 18. Imagine if it happened later today on a putt to win the U.S. Open.pic.twitter.com/NefFUXedIKJune 18, 2023
Former Masters winner and now-analyst Trevor Immelman questioned if the cup was “not deep enough on 18?”
Former Ryder Cup player and six-time PGA Tour winner Hunter Mahan asked: “WTF just happened to Sargent????? How could that happen?!” He also questioned “if that costs someone in the final group???”
WTF just happened to Sargent????? How could that happen?!June 18, 2023
The liner had been slightly damaged due to the pin being pulled incorrectly according to reports. The Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis confirmed that it had been repaired:
According to the USGA a previous group’s caddie had some issue pulling out the flag. While doing so lifted the cup liner which bounced Sargent’s ball out of the hole. Officials put the liner back in the proper position after this incident. https://t.co/5SL29u0XTCJune 18, 2023
USGA spokesperson says the group before Sargent pulled out the flag in a way that slightly damaged the cup, which has now been fixed https://t.co/Xerz8yYPQ3June 18, 2023
I got confirmation that the USGA is going to go out and check the 18th-hole cup after the Gordon Sargent situation earlier.June 18, 2023
Luckily for Sargent, it didn’t make an ounce of difference as amateurs don’t earn prize money in…
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