"TOTAL BS!" Golf fans call for rule change after tour pro gets horrific break

The majority of golf fans appeared to be unanimous a golf rule needs changing after PGA Tour pro Russell Henley caught an unlucky break at the Wyndham Championship.

Ben Smith

07 Aug 2023

"TOTAL BS!" Golf fans call for rule change after tour pro gets horrific break — "TOTAL BS!" Golf fans call for rule change after tour pro gets horrific…

Down the stretch, Russell Henley was in contention to claim his fifth PGA Tour title at the Wyndham Championship.

Then in a flash he was out of the picture and Lucas Glover cruised to victory, although he did have a stroke of good fortune along the way.

For Henley, his charge was curtailed in part thanks to a stroke of almighty misfortune at the par-3 16th at Sedgefield Country Club.

Before a weather delay, Justin Thomas was also undone on the same hole when the wind switched as he tried to muscle a 9-iron to the back pin.

Henley's tee shot a few hours later was also short, landing on the front edge of the green before trickling back...into a divot.

Watch:

From unlucky to REALLY unlucky.
Solo leader Russell Henley rolls into a divot on the 16th hole. pic.twitter.com/FlCDr4X0Ne
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 6, 2023

This was the first of two unlucky breaks for Henley. Would it be unreasonable to suggest this was worse than a divot? It was so deep.

From there, Henley chunked his ball out of the ~~divot~~ crater and two-putted for a bogey.

Then at the very next hole Henley sprayed his tee shot right and attempted to get relief from a rules official, citing his ball was embedded.

More:

Footage later showed his golf ball had bounced first and therefore Henley had to punch out.

For his part, Henley later told a pool of reporters:

"I hit a very poor shot on 17 off the tee, but 16, to come back into a divot, that's a pretty tough break. But 17, I just hit a terrible shot and 18 was just not good enough to make a par."

The 16th hole, of course, caught the attention of golf fans. The overwhelming majority felt as though it's time for a 'common sense rules change'.

Comments included:

"Divot should be ground under repair."

"Ridiculous rule, that's a divot? No way."

"And still... the dumbest rule in golf."

"Def should change this rule. It's total BS."

*Clears throat* BS rule needs changing."

"He should've gotten free relief from that."

"A must change rule. Not even a question."

"Damn if there was a rule to fix this!?"

"Time for my annual tweet. Relief is awarded due to any man-made objects. Divots can not occur unless a man makes them. Silliest rule in sports?"

Glover went on to win the Wyndham Championship but for Henley that finish, and those breaks, will no doubt sting.