A shocking and controversial moment unfolded at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, leaving golf fans in disbelief. The ex-Masters champion, Hideki Matsuyama, experienced a devastating collapse amidst unruly crowd behavior, which overshadowed the eventual victory of Chris Gotterup.
Gotterup, with his fourth PGA Tour title and second this year, emerged as the champion after a dramatic playoff. Matsuyama's fate was sealed when his drive veered left into the water at the 18th hole, a result of an unfortunate distraction during his swing.
The Japanese superstar's errant tee shot was a consequence of an unruly heckler calling out mid-swing, accompanied by a loud thud. Reports suggest the disruption was caused by a security person dropping a chair, as confirmed by The Athletic's Gabby Herzig. Matsuyama, after backing away, eventually hit his drive, but the damage was done.
This incident was not an isolated event; Matsuyama had already endured similar crowd antics earlier in the round. When he had a putt for the win at the 72nd hole, a spectator's yell caused him to back away, resulting in a chorus of boos from the crowd.
The rowdy crowd at TPC Scottsdale has been a persistent issue, with players' backswings often disrupted. Earlier in the tournament, a streamer was handed a lifetime ban by the PGA Tour for paying patrons to yell during players' backswings.
However, the spectators around the 18th green redeemed themselves, cheering for all the right reasons as Gotterup sank a monster birdie to clinch the win.
Starting the day four shots behind overnight leader Matsuyama, the 26-year-old Gotterup charged with a remarkable seven-under par round of 64. He birdied five of his last six holes, creating an anxious wait for Matsuyama to finish his round.
When asked about his recent success, Gotterup attributed it to sheer enjoyment, saying, "I'm just having such a good time playing right now."
The final round saw Matsuyama ranked last in the field off the tee, hitting only three fairways. His waywardness eventually caught up with him at the last hole, where his drive headed left towards the water. Despite having the distance to carry the hazard, his ball ended up in a bunker, adding to the drama.
The two-time champion had a good lie in the sand but thinned his shot, falling short of the green. His ability to recover had saved him throughout the day, but this time, the distraction proved costly, as his putt for the win slid to the right of the cup.
Matsuyama reflected, "I wanted to avoid the playoff, but I hit a bad tee shot at 18. Chris made a good putt in the playoff, so hats off to him."
The top five also included Scheffler, Akshay Bhatia, Si Woo Kim, and Michael Thorbjornsen. Thorbjornsen, in his second full season on the PGA Tour, had a chance at a maiden Tour win but bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes, dropping back.
World No.1 Scheffler threatened an extraordinary comeback, chasing a third title at TPC Scottsdale with a bogey-free final round of 64. His effort was matched by Gotterup, but it was China's Zecheng Dou who took home the low round of the day honors with a 63.
Scheffler's most exhilarating moment came when he drained a 20-meter birdie putt from off the green on the par-4 14th. However, his first-round struggles, including a duffed chip that went viral, ultimately prevented him from claiming his second trophy of the year.
Australia's Min Woo Lee and fellow Australian Cam Davis struggled in the final round, with Lee finishing at -7 overall and Davis at +7, last among those who made the cut.
This controversial incident raises questions about crowd behavior and its impact on the game. What are your thoughts on the matter? Should stricter measures be implemented to ensure a fair and respectful environment for players? Share your opinions in the comments below!
