Golf fans fume over Ryan Gerard's 'outrageous' free relief at Tour Championship

Golf fans were left scratching their heads after Ryan Gerard appeared to turn a nightmare lie into a near-perfect one during the third round of the Tour Championship.

The American found himself in a treacherous position on the par-4 17th, with his ball embedded in the rough on a downhill lie next to the greenside bunker. 

Then came the ruling (scroll down to watch).

Because Gerard's ball was deemed to be embedded, he was entitled to free relief. But not only was he able to take one club length of relief to the left, he was able to move his ball up and away from the bunker and onto the top of the bank, where it was sitting beautifully in the first cut of rough.

It was a remarkable transformation from a horrible lie next to the sand to a clean, elevated position with a far more straightforward route to the green — and it didn't take long for golf fans to question whether Gerard had been given too much of a break.

The 27-year-old is seeking his second PGA Tour title this week after claiming his maiden victory at the 2025 Barracuda Championship, and the huge stroke of fortune came at a crucial stage of his third round.

PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek explained the decision during the live CBS broadcast.

"The ball we have determined is embedded," Dusbabek said.

"As you saw yesterday with Viktor Hovland, you go from the nearest point from behind the embedded mark and you get one club length, it has to drop within that free relief area."

Gerard then made the most of his good fortune, chipping from his improved position to 10 feet before converting the par putt.

Frank Nobilo summed up the situation perfectly in the commentary booth, saying: "That is a massive break."

On-course commentator Dottie Pepper added: "That's also a massively good drop, way to go there, take advantage of what just presented itself to you."

There were also wasps in the sand near Gerard's ball, but Dusbabek confirmed they were not considered dangerous and therefore did not affect the ruling.

"Now those wasps are not dangerous wasps," he said. 

"We have already confirmed that with players earlier this week that it's not a dangerous situation, just to make more of an annoyance than anything else."

Watch what happened here: 

Gerard's par proved valuable as he carded a steady 66 to move to 14-under par, just one shot behind Viktor Hovland heading into Sunday's final round.

While there was no suggestion Gerard had done anything wrong, plenty of golf fans took to X to question the outcome.

"One of the most outrageous free drops I've ever seen," wrote one.

Another said: "I know it's within the rules, but how do you live with yourself…"

A further fan questioned why Gerard appeared to be rewarded after hitting a poor shot, comparing it with last week's controversial two-shot penalty on the DP World Tour. 

"Madness, while a lad got a 2-shot penalty last week on DP World Tour for kicking a divot out his way.. Gerard hit a poor drive, poorer second, gets plugged deserving so and then gets free relief for that and gets up and down to save par from a great lie and break."

"This needs to change," another argued. 

"You should have to drop within 30cm not 2 meters and in a beautiful lie."

Despite frustration from PGA Tour fans, Gerard ultimately followed the rules. 

He didn't choose the ruling or the size of the relief area, and dropped correctly, right on the limit of the permitted area.

As we all know by now, golf doesn't always give you what you deserve. 

Sometimes a bad shot is punished; sometimes you get an enormous break.

Gerard certainly got the latter at East Lake.

What do you make of the ruling? Share your thoughts on GolfMagic Facebook.