logo
The most hated tree in golf is back

The most hated tree in golf is back

Yahoo13-03-2025

A gimmicky joke of an oak or a return to the roots of the Stadium Course? Whatever the pros make of the foreboding obstacle that has been plonked in front of the sixth tee box, it will undoubtedly be a central talking point here at the Players Championship.
Even the PGA Tour refers to the 500,000lb tree as 'diabolical' on its own website before explaining how this nifty piece of reforestation has actually restored an iconic feature of Pete Dye's original design.
The late American architect was proud of his moniker as 'golf's evil genius' and it is fair to say that this particular characteristic on the 413-yarder came from the more mischievous corner of his warped mind.
Over the years, the tree with the huge branch that overhangs the tee was, amongst other things, called 'sinister' by Ernie Els who infamously clattered his ball into it in 2010 and 'unnecessarily annoying' by Graeme McDowell. As the branch grew, Bob Estes went further. 'We are only a few years away from having to tee off with a putter,' the American said.
However, the club members adored their Live Oak and when disease forced its removal 11 years ago, a statement was issued in the tear-filled tone of a farewell to a loved one. 'A sad day at TPC Sawgrass as we have lost our most recognisable tree due to poor health,' it read.
Continuing the grieving theme, Tim Finchem, the then PGA Tour commissioner, was similarly sombre about the sudden glaring absence on the layout adjacent to the Tour's HQ. 'A significant fissure developed in its trunk, making it a safety concern,' Finchem said. 'There simply was no way to save it, as much as we tried.'
An emotional time, although many were glad to hear the news, including Brian Harman. 'It should never have been there,' he told the Florida-Times Union. 'You shouldn't have things like that right in your face on a par-four tee box.'
Yet, if the 2023 Open champion believed it was gone for good, he was badly mistaken. Last year, the Tour decided to replant and their choice of the former champion to oversee the job was ironic.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by ZIRE GOLF (@ziregolf)
Davis Love III, a two-time winner of the circuit's 'flagship event', would annually seek out Finchem on arrival at Sawgrass and say 'Tim, have you removed that darned tree yet?'
Yet, as the romantics always say, sometimes you never know what you had until you have lost it, and Love was only too happy to help out when asked. 'What would Pete say if he could see that we did that? – you know, that's what we wanted to do,' Love said. 'We wanted to honour Pete.'
They did so by scouring the course and finding a lookalike, which was not at all straightforward as the tree was seemingly unique with the branch at that angle. But a replacement was found and the torment is back.
In truth, it is rather like the island-green 17th, as the challenge is far more mental than technical. Before it was chopped up to make mementoes, players invariably elected to discard their drivers to coax their balls into the wide part of the fairway and set up a wedge.
But the occasional boomer with a high drive did occasionally locate the branch before dropping 30 yards in front of the tee box. On Wednesday, world No 2 Rory McIlroy explained the task that will be at hand when he arrives there alongside world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and world No 3 Xander Schauffele in their first round on Thursday afternoon.
'It frames the hole and forces you to play the shot,' he said. 'I certainly will have to hit it a little lower than my preferred launch window.'
Love will be on site ready for at least a measure of havoc to play out and, yes, to receive criticism from the victims. 'I'm sure I'll get comments from some of the guys,' he said. 'But I'm telling you, I can't wait to watch.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Fight of the century' - Alvarez-Crawford date confirmed
'Fight of the century' - Alvarez-Crawford date confirmed

Yahoo

time20 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

'Fight of the century' - Alvarez-Crawford date confirmed

Turki Alalshikh (centre) announced last month that a super-fight had been agreed between Terence Crawford (left) and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (right) [Getty Images] Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's super-fight against Terence Crawford will take place in Las Vegas on Saturday, 13 September. Mexican pound-for-pound great Alvarez will meet undefeated American Crawford for the undisputed super-middleweight title. Advertisement The blockbuster will be streamed globally on Netflix and has been billed the "fight of the century" by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's general entertainment authority. It will be the first fight to be promoted by Alalshikh in collaboration with UFC president Dana White. "Turki wants to make the biggest fights that the fans want to see in boxing and this is right up my alley," said White. "Are you kidding me that the first boxing fight I'm going to get to promote is Canelo versus Crawford? It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime fight." Alvarez holds all four recognised world titles in the super-middleweight division after the 34-year-old beat William Scull last month. Advertisement That resulted in him regaining the IBF belt and the undisputed super-middleweight title, and after the fight Crawford was confirmed as his next opponent, with the pair posing for a face-off in the ring. "I'm ready to show once again that I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world," the Mexican said in a statement on Tuesday. Alvarez has 63 wins from 67 professional fights, with two draws and two defeats. Crawford is a four-division and two-weight undisputed champion, and will be moving up from light-middleweight. The 37-year-old possesses a flawless record, having won all 41 of his pro fights. Advertisement "My perfect record speaks for itself," said Crawford. "I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top." The fight - expected to take place at Allegiant Stadium - will be preceded by a three-city media tour, visiting Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (20 June), before heading to the United States as the fighters appear in New York (22 June) and Las Vegas (27 June). More boxing from the BBC

Ryan Fox's Blunt Message on RBC Canadian Open Playoff Catches Attention
Ryan Fox's Blunt Message on RBC Canadian Open Playoff Catches Attention

Yahoo

time21 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Ryan Fox's Blunt Message on RBC Canadian Open Playoff Catches Attention

Ryan Fox's Blunt Message on RBC Canadian Open Playoff Catches Attention originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It was a wild weekend north of the border at the RBC Canadian Open, where 38-year-old Ryan Fox sank a dramatic 17-foot birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff. Advertisement In the playoff, Fox and Sam Burns traded blows through four extra holes. On the fourth, back on the 18th, Fox delivered a clutch approach shot that set up the winning putt and secured the title. With the win, Fox claimed $1.764 million in prize money. This marks Fox's second career PGA Tour victory, both coming in his last four starts. Speaking to the media after his win, Fox was still riding the adrenaline. "That shot I hit on 18 ... probably the best shot I've ever hit." His message caught the attention of many golf fans: This fan started it: "Ridiculous shot. What a gutsy win. Gotta love it." Another added on here: "He seems like such a great guy, who hit a great shot at the right time! He proves you don't need to stand over the ball for a minute before you hit! Love his style and pace of play!" Advertisement "Special under pressure! Congrats RF!" this fan mentions "Big shot to win," this golf enthusiast says. "That's fantastic - needed to see it to believe it." said another. One more from a golf fan: "Yeah that's unreal." Ryan Fox holds the winner's trophy after defeating Sam Burns.© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Fox's first PGA Tour win came at the Myrtle Beach Classic, where he chipped in a birdie from just beyond 50 feet on the first playoff hole to defeat Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs. Despite his recent success, Fox has yet to break through at a major. His best finish remains a T-16 at the 2019 Open Championship. He didn't play in this year's Masters but made the cut and finished T-28 at the PGA Championship in May. Advertisement Sam Burns, for his part, made his presence felt with a Sunday surge. After shooting a pair of 66s and a 68 over the first three days, Burns fired a sensational 62 in the final round to reach 18-under. He and Fox edged out Kevin Yu by a single stroke. Burns has five career PGA Tour victories and reached as high as No. 9 in the world rankings in 2022. He's made the cut in both majors so far this season and is hoping to build on his top-10 finish from last year. Meanwhile, it was a tough outing for 2025 Masters champion Rory McIlroy. A second-round 78 left him at +9, missing the cut. With the Canadian Open wrapped up, the golf world now shifts focus to Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, the site of the U.S. Open starting Thursday. Advertisement Related: Scottie Scheffler Reacts to Ryder Cup Announcement on Thursday Related: Scottie Scheffler Earns New Nickname After 16th PGA Tour Win This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.

Jason Day Sparks Controversy With Wild Outfit Ahead of U.S. Open
Jason Day Sparks Controversy With Wild Outfit Ahead of U.S. Open

Yahoo

time21 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Jason Day Sparks Controversy With Wild Outfit Ahead of U.S. Open

Jason Day Sparks Controversy With Wild Outfit Ahead of U.S. Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In a world of golf where tucked-in polo shirts and khakis reign supreme, the presence of Jason Day has been a breath of fresh air for many over the past couple of years. With his daring sense of style that has ruffled feathers and turned many heads, Day has made a name for himself thanks to his partnership with Malbon, rocking parachute pants, trendy sweaters, and groutfits on the course. Advertisement This week, just a couple of days before the U.S. Open tees off on Thursday at Oakmont Country Club, Day once again turned some heads with his outfit choice. On Tuesday while warming up for a practice round, Day looked more like he was getting ready to head to a 4th of July barbecue rather than play a round of golf at one of the most prestigious country clubs in the nation. On theme for the week, Day was seen warming up on the range while rocking a pair of stars and stripes shorts with a blue polo shirt. What you think of Day's outfit choice likely represents how you feel about Day's fashion choices in general. Some are big fans of the bold looks, and the relatively casual nature with which Day treats the game, while others are upset that he is making a statement and going against the grain with his clothing. Advertisement Here's how some fans reacted on social media Tuesday morning: "Dude's straight up wearing swim trunks," one commenter said. "These are hard dgaf what anybody says," another fan added. "Known American, Jason Day," one observer added, noting that Day is famously Australian, making his American Flag shorts a bit ironic. While Day is letting the flashy outfit shine on a Tuesday practice round, it's fair to assume that he may tone things down a bit once the tournament starts on Thursday. We've seen this be the case in the past, with Augusta National Golf Club famously having to approve his wardrobe before The Masters Tournament this past spring. Advertisement As for the actual golf being played, Day hopes to get back into form and compete for another major championship. His only major victory came in 2015 at the PGA Championship, and he hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2022 at the AT&T Byron Nelson. This season, Day has three top-10 finishes in 10 starts thus far. Related: Bryson DeChambeau's Bold Statement Before U.S. Open Has Fans Buzzing This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store