North Carolina: Tempers have flared at Quail Hollow as Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton delivered emotional outbursts during a tense second round at the US PGA Championship.
Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, erupted after a ruling on the eighth hole denied him relief for what he believed to be an embedded ball. Visibly furious, the Irishman slammed his club into the ground and swore loudly about this place, before flipping his middle finger at the hole following a bogey. He went on to card a 71, missing the cut by just one shot at two over par.
Adding to the drama, England’s Tyrrell Hatton also found himself in hot water after a disastrous triple bogey on the par-four 18th. After pulling his tee shot into a creek, the fiery world number 20 could be heard swearing at his driver. He completed his round with a 73, finishing one under for the tournament and seven shots behind leader Jhonattan Vegas.
Both players are expected to face disciplinary action for their conduct on the course. Lowry stated that, “I was very annoyed. You hit a lovely tee shot, you’re not expecting it to end up in a divot. I felt like I had momentum, and that was a big setback.”
The course setup has been a topic of controversy, with several players, including world number one Scottie Scheffler, raising concerns about muddy conditions and the absence of preferred lies despite wet weather. Lowry’s ball had landed in a divot left by another player, meaning he was not granted relief, which would have applied had the ball been embedded in its own pitch mark.
Hatton, known for his volatility on the course, admitted his frustration got the better of him. Hatton remarked that, “It wasn’t my finest moment. I’m pretty good at saying the wrong thing. So yeah, I’ll leave it at that.”
This isn’t the first time Hatton has drawn criticism for his behaviour. During the DP World Tour Championship in November, he was labelled a ‘terrible influence’ by commentator Ewen Murray after snapping a club and complaining about course conditions.
As the tournament moves into the weekend, the PGA of America may have more than just scores to review, with disciplinary actions looming over the two European stars.
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