7 regrettable moments from the 12 months in golf

With Thanksgiving formally right here, custom requires the U.S. president to pardon a turkey. However on this area, we make gentle of them — with a season-ending retrospective, singling out essentially the most memorable goofs and gaffes from the previous 12 months in golf. Let’s hand out our annual Turkey Awards.

The Barney Fife Award for Overly Exuberant Policing

Winners: Officers, Louisville Metropolitan PD

If you happen to can’t beat ‘em, guide ‘em. Of all of the sudden sporting pictures of 2024, none was extra stunning than the sight of the famously goodie-two-shoes Scottie Scheffler in an orange jailhouse jumper. The mugshot got here courtesy of Louisville Metro PD, whose provides arrested the World No. 1 as he tried to drive round an early morning bottleneck outdoors Valhalla Golf Membership earlier than the second spherical of the PGA Championship. In equity to the cops, the scene was chaotic: darkish, wet, traffic-congested. However the expenses slapped on Scheffler, together with second-degree assault of a police officer and third-degree prison mischief, smacked of keystone extra from the beginning. Scheffler made his tee time — and the lower — however how he might need fared within the occasion with out that Friday distraction grew to become a giant “What if?” for a golfer within the midst of a traditionally scorching run. In a growth far much less stunning than the preliminary incident, the fees towards Scheffler had been quickly dropped.

The Susie Essman Award for Working Blue within the Sales space

Winner: Morgan Pressel

Virtually with out exception, golf broadcasts are family-friendly. No surprise the fuss over Morgan Pressel when the NBC/Golf Channel analyst veered into R-rated materials throughout stay protection of ladies’s Olympic Golf. Swept up within the second whereas describing Brooke Henderson’s aggressive play, Pressel exulted: “She’s f—ing fired up. You like to see it.” Although we received’t clutch our pearls and faux we had been offended — largely, it was humorous, and, hey, sh-t occurs, proper? — we had been irked the next day when Pressel supplied a mealy-mouthed mea culpa that bordered on gaslighting. “I stumbled over my phrases and sadly it sounded as if I stated one thing inappropriate and I’m so sorry that it got here throughout as such as a result of I might by no means say that on the air in a broadcast.” Um, however you probably did.

The Damaged Ray-Ban Award for Unhealthy Optics

Winner: Matt Kuchar

Of the 156 gamers who entered the 2024 Wyndham Championship, some missed the lower and a few made the weekend however just one performed on until Monday. That was Matt Kuchar, who, in waning gentle on Sunday night, opted to mark his ball on the lengthy par-4 18th after driving it within the tough, fairly than ending out his ultimate gap. Although Kuchar claimed his intention was altruistic — he stated he thought it might profit his enjoying companion, Max Greyserman, to cease and that he wished to “make it straightforward” on Greyersman to take action — his said rationale raised eyebrows amongst skeptics who felt that Kuchar was simply out for a higher-paying end that will barely be a pittance for a person with $58 million in profession earnings. Regardless of the motive, the transfer meant that match officers and volunteers needed to stick round an additional day so {that a} single golfer might full play. Seen via any lens, it was a egocentric look.

The ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’ Award for Untimely Celebration

Winner: Si Woo Kim

After jarring an inconceivable chip shot throughout Saturday foursomes on the Presidents Cup, Si Woo Kim bolted throughout the inexperienced along with his palms pressed to his cheek, mimicking Steph Curry’s well-known “evening evening” gesture. It was a cool impression, with only one catch: the match was tied. Two holes later, People Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele put Kim and his companion, Tom Kim, to mattress with an alternate-shot birdie on 18, incomes a full level for Group USA. Lights out, everybody.

The Tom Hanks Castaway Award for Stranding Vacationers

Winner: LPGA Tour

Because the nineteenth Solheim Cup bought underway at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership, in Virginia, the grandstands across the first tee had been half empty, however not for lack of curiosity. A shuttle bus snafu had left throngs of would-be spectators stranded within the parking zone 5 miles away. Come night, the LPGA Tour issued an apology to followers — and wound up providing free tickets for the weekend. However there was no undoing the dangerous begin to a marquee ladies’s occasion. It was additionally too late to quiet critics who felt the tour had slow-rolled communications surrounding the transportation snag.