Matt Fitzpatrick and Scottie Scheffler were both left fuming at a PGA Tour official over a controversial rule that prevented the Englishman from swapping his cracked driver
Matt Fitzpatrick and a rules official examine his cracked driver at the BMW Championships (
Image: Getty Images)
Matt Fitzpatrick was left seething at PGA Tour officials during the BMW Championship on Sunday after they refused to let him replace his cracked driver.
The 29-year-old was incensed upon discovering that under USGA’s Model Local Rule G-9, a player is not permitted to swap out a club due to a crack. Fitzpatrick, alongside playing partner Scottie Scheffler, expressed frustration with the ruling official.
Tensions reached a peak on the eighth fairway in the final round when Fitzpatrick made his feelings clear to the official. “It’s an absolute disgrace,” he initially declared. “It’s caved in. There’s an obvious crack there that’s causing a defect of ball flight.”
“So I’m going to have to use 3-wood for the rest of the day? That’s what you’re telling me?” Fitzpatrick continued. “This is outrageous, it’s an absolute disgrace. I’ve literally just watched a ball do a completely different thing from the whole morning. It couldn’t be more obvious.”
He finished off with: “I understand the rule, but at the end of the day, it’s your opinion. It’s opinion, not fact.”
Fitzpatrick ended his vehement objection, vowing he would “make sure something is done after the round because it’s a joke.” In a defiant move, he dismantled his driver head on the ninth tee and finished the round with only 13 clubs.
Rules officials and Scottie Scheffler huddled over Matt Fitzpatrick’s driver ( Getty Images)
Fitzpatrick’s weekend didn’t quite hit the high notes as he wrapped up with a modest one under overall, tying for 28th. Despite finishing two-under on the day, it wasn’t enough to make a significant climb up the leaderboard.
Scheffler gave his view, remarking: “You can feel the crack. The damage to the club is making the club not perform. It’s been damaged throughout the course of play. That’s the first shot offline he’s hit all day and it carried about 80 yards shorter.”
Masters champion Scheffler himself didn’t shine as brightly as expected over the weekend. Finishing even on the day and plus one overall, he ended up tied for 32nd. Keegan Bradley went on to win the tournament, finishing on 12 under and one shot clear of runners-up Ludvig Aberg, Adam Scott and Sam Burns.
Bradley’s win is significant, with the veteran set to captain Team USA at next year’s Ryder Cup in New York. Captains don’t usually play in the Ryder Cup, but Bradley is undoubtedly still one of the best American golfers on the scene.
He may choose to pick himself to play or earn enough qualification points. Bradley did not earn any qualification points for winning the BMW Championship, as only the four majors and the Players Championship carried Ryder Cup points for Americans in 2024. Other PGA Tour events will carry points next year.
