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Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Scottie Scheffler hits out at ‘unfair' US PGA decision on mud balls
The world's best players have hit out at the US PGA organisers at Quail Hollow with world No 1 Scottie Scheffler calling the decision not to allow preferred lies as 'unfair'. Despite torrential rain disrupting practice rounds earlier in the week, the PGA of America – which oversees the season's second major' – opted against allowing the pros to 'lift, clean and place' balls in the saturated fairways here. That meant that 'mud balls' were inevitable and both Scheffler and Xander Schauffele both double-bogeyed the 16th after watching in despair and anger as their second shots from the fairway veered left of green and into the water. 'It's one of those deals where it's frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it's going to go,' Scheffler said after a 69. 'But I don't make the rules. I just have to deal with the consequences of those rules. I did a good job of battling back today and not letting a bad break like that, which cost me a couple of shots, get to me. 'I understand how a golf purist would be, 'oh, play it as it lies'. But I don't think they understand what it's like literally working your entire life to learn how to hit a golf ball and control it and hit shots and control distance, and all of a sudden due to a rules decision that is completely taken away from us by chance. 'In golf, there's enough luck throughout a 72-hole tournament that I don't think the story should be whether or not the ball is played up or down. When I look at golf tournaments I want the purest, fairest test of golf, and in my opinion maybe the ball today should have been played up.' Schauffele concurred 'We were in the middle of the fairway, and I don't know, we had to aim right of the grandstands,' he said. 'It's just unfortunate to be hitting good shots and to pay them off that way. It's kind of stupid.' The world No 3 had a warning for the officials and all but pleaded for them to change their minds. 'The mud balls are going to get worse as the place dries up,' he said. 'They're going to get in that perfect cake zone to where it's kind of muddy underneath and then picking up mud on the way through. It's a bit of a crapshoot.' Unlike the Tours – which would undoubtedly have invoked the 'clean and place' rule – the majors are loathe to assuage the competitors. 'You know why,' Matt Fitzpatrick said after his 68. 'Because they don't like the look of it.' At last month's Masters, Jordan Spieth railed the attitude of the traditionalists. 'My iron play killed me the last two days, and to be brutally honest with you, it was primarily mud balls,' he said. 'The fact that you're not supposed to talk about it is a bit frustrating because it is a difference maker.'
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Scottie Scheffler among golf stars embroiled in PGA Championship storm over controversial Quail Hollow ruling
Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele have raged against organizers of the PGA Championship over a controversial 'mudball' ruling at Quail Hollow, claiming it has left the tournament open to chance. Eyebrows were raised when the PGA of America confirmed on Wednesday evening that preferred lies would not be in play despite five inches of rain falling in North Carolina across the past week. As a consequence, Thursday's opening round became characterized by golfers griping about playing balls coated in mud. That was most clearly illustrated when Scheffler and Schauffele, the world's No 1 and No 3 ranked players, both yanked their approaches into the water from the fairway on the 16th hole and carded double bogeys. Scheffler, who recovered to an opening 69, said: 'So I understand how a golf purist would be, 'Oh, play it as it lies'. 'But I don't think they understand what it's like literally working your entire life to learn how to hit a golf ball and control it and hit shots and control distance, and all of a sudden due to a rules decision that is completely taken away from us by chance. 'In golf, there's enough luck throughout a 72-hole tournament that I don't think the story should be whether or not the ball is played up or down. 'When I look at golf tournaments, I want the purest, fairest test of golf, and in my opinion maybe the ball today should have been played up. 'It cost me possibly two shots on one hole, and if I let that bother me, it could cost me five shots the rest of the round. But today I was proud of how I stayed in there, didn't let it get to me and was able to play some solid golf on a day in which I was a bit all over the place and still posted a score.' Defending champion Schauffele, who shot a 72, was also angered by the decision. He said: 'I wouldn't want to go in the locker room because I'm sure a lot of guys aren't super happy with the conditions there. 'I feel like the grass is so good, there is no real advantage to cleaning your ball in the fairway. The course is completely tipped out. It sucks that you're kind of 50/50 once you hit the fairway. 'I got lucky three or four holes in a row where it ended up sort of on the top of my ball and then you're kind of guessing how much spin it's going to take off.' The American predicted the scenario will become more problematic as the course continues to dry out in improving weather. 'The mud balls are going to get worse,' he said. 'They're going to get worse as the place dries up. They're going to get in that perfect cake zone to where it's kind of muddy underneath and then picking up mud on the way through. 'Maybe (the solution) is hit it a little bit lower off the tee, but then unfortunately the problem with hitting it low off the tee is the ball doesn't carry or roll anywhere, so then you sacrifice distance. It's a bit of a crapshoot.'
CNA
08-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
PGA of America to give away 3,000 Ryder Cup tickets in New York area
The PGA of America will distribute 3,000 tickets to this year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York as part of a fan engagement initiative dubbed "The People's Perk," the biennial competition's co-organisers said on Wednesday. The programme will surprise New York golf fans with free tickets over the next five months at Bethpage Black and other select public courses in Long Island and New York City metro. The 3,000 free tickets will cover the three days of tournament play between Team Europe and Team USA and the three days of practice rounds, with 500 tickets allocated per day. "The People's Perk is a special way for us to celebrate the unparalleled dedication and enthusiasm of the New York golf community by providing them with a memorable experience at the 2025 Ryder Cup," PGA of America president Don Rea Jr said in a statement. Each recipient will get two tickets, but will not be able to choose a specific date. There will be no advance notice for the giveaways, which will feature PGA leaders and special Ryder Cup guests. In coordination with the Metropolitan PGA Section, tickets will be distributed to local residents as well as first responders and community groups. Europe captain Luke Donald will aim to defend the title at the famed Long Island course from Sept. 26-28, with Keegan Bradley leading the U.S. team.
