Fairway Funnies: 10 Unforgettable Comedic Moments in PGA Tour History
Fairway Funnies: 10 Unforgettable Comedic Moments in PGA ...
By Indra Gunawan August 26, 2024 00:59
Golf is often perceived as stuffy and serious, but even in the most sacred of settings, laughter and comedic moments still happen. Seasoned golfers have seen some of the strangest instances in the sport, from crazy animal encounters to on-course wardrobe malfunctions. Here are 10 of the funniest and best moments that have happened on tour.
1. The Squirrel Whisperer
A squirrel joined Bubba Watson during the second round of the 2014 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. As Watson readied himself to putt on the 12th, he was interrupted only when a furry critter ran onto the green and sniffed around his ball.
Watson's reaction was particularly amusing, given what happened in this play. The two-time Masters champion opted to talk the squirrel through it instead of shooing him away. The Hot Mike registers Watson uttering, "Mr. Squirrel, please." I need to finish this hole."
The squirrel seemed to pay no mind and went about its business. This led to a fantastic minute of Watson trying to talk the animal around, much to his playing partners' and gallery's enjoyment.
Fans were seen calling Watson "The Squirrel Whisperer," and the incident soon trended on social media. Watson joked in a post-round interview, "I guess he wanted to play through. We should have at least given him one tee."
2. The Pants-Less Putt
Swedish golfer Henrik Stenson isn't as much known for his dry humor, at least among casual golf fans, but he took it to new heights while playing during the first round of the 2009 WGC-CA Championship from Doral. Already forced to go back five yards on his second shot, Stenson hit a muddy hazard down the third fairway and was faced with an unfortunate choice: play it and ruin some clothes or take the penalty drop.
Stenson chose option three, a gamble for the ages in golf history. He stripped his shoes, socks, and pants off, leaving him only in underwear and a shirt. He then stepped into the mud to hit his shot, posing front-side up for plenty of spectators and television viewers.
In all its glory and absurdity, there was a professional golfer standing half naked, attempting to play out of the mud, one of the most surreal and hilarious moments probably ever witnessed at any PGA Tour event. His partner that day, Gonzalo Fernandez Castaño, couldn't hold back the laughter.
3. The Caddie Race
In 2013, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar upped the ante by orchestrating a caddie race during play.
Watson and Kuchar had a footrace to the green when they reached their tee on No. 16, with caddies Ted Scott (Bubba) and Lance Bennett surreptitiously bolted off first. The fans erupted as the two bag-toting men raced down the fairway, Scott squeezing past Bennett at the last moment.
4. Heckler's Revenge
Rory McIlroy and his European Ryder Cup teammates were locked in a tense 12-foot putt during practice at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Fall 2016. In the gallery, an American fan named David Johnson yelled out that he could hole it.
Channeling his inner Bo Jackson, he must have tried calling the heckler's bluff. He yanked the kid, Johnson, from among the crowd and bet him $100 he couldn't make a 12-foot putt.
5. Gator Wrestle
Golfers in Florida are accustomed to alligators on the courses. However, few make a beeline for one as this man decided to. Rather than simply walking around the animal, Gribble calmly approached it and tapped its tail. The reptile freaked out but unharmed in the incident at Rotary Park Golf Course, hurried into a water hazard, much to the surprise and amusement of players on hand.
6. The Celebration Fail
James Hahn first broke through onto the golf scene with his Gangnam-style dance after making a birdie on No. 16 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2013, Although the real comedy highlight came with his second try.
After his last birdie putt on the 18th hole, Hahn tried a more elaborate celebration, including a "Gangnam Style" dance and a back flip. Sadly, the ambition was a little too far from what it delivered. Starting his flip, Hahn stumbled down and landed in an awkward tumble, eliciting laughter from the crowd.
7. The Wardrobe Malfunction
Phil Mickelson is such a crisp dresser on the golf course that he earned this playful jab when his wardrobe malfunctioned last year at The Players Championship. When Mickelson stepped up to the 18th tee in Round Two, he did so with a large button-sized hole at his crotch.
Mickelson soldiered on as if nothing happened. It wasn't until he finished his round that they told him about the hardware issue. Mickelson dealt with it the only way Lefty could, humorously and graciously.
8. The Golf Cart Could Not Be Tamed
While this incident is not from a PGA Tour event, it was too funny to leave out of these rankings. A driverless golf cart had some time to itself during the second round at The Warren Golf Course in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Near the 16th tee, a cart with a box of water bottles in the seat started moving. It a car careening down a hill and a path of debris just missed some people before hurtling into a spectator tent.
9. Zach Johnson in the 2019 Masters
The Masters is renowned for its respect of tradition and being the most prestigious major on the golf calendar. That made it all the more random and humorous when Zach Johnson accidentally touched his ball after a practice swing on the 13th tee of what would be his second round during last year's tournament.
Johnson hit the shot from the tee marker, but his driver grazed his still-living ball and made it carom off to the right. It traveled only a few yards, but Johnson, playing with Ian Poulter and Matt Kuchar in the side competition that took place prior to the start of play proper on Thursday evening local time, and his partners were left baffled.
10. Charley Hoffman during the 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
And finally, a laugh-out-loud moment from Charley Hoffman at the 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Hoffman hit what he described as a "beautiful" shot on the par-3 16th hole in the final round. He even started celebrating, high-fiving his caddie and tipping the gallery on what he believed was an ace.
When the celebrations ended and Hoffman made his way onto the green, he could only react in embarrassment. He meekly tapped in for Birdie and chuckled about his celebratory outburst.
These inspiring and amusing little bits not only add a bit of joy to the hearts of fans but also serve well at making the sport more approachable. They exhibit that golf can be enjoyable and happy even in the most competitive arenas.
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