Sometimes a putter just needs to be sent to the depths in any nearby water hazard. Completely normal there, following one too many badly missed putts. But after a par?
Apparently, Matt Jones wasn’t consoled by making par after missing an 8-foot birdie attempt and tossing his flat stick into a lake on the 11th hole at Bay Hill during Saturday’s third round of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.
“Matt a little frustrated there,” announcer Steve Sands said. “Did you hear what he said? He said, ‘I’m done, I’ve had enough of it.’ ”
Jones wasn’t having much of a week on the greens, and through 15 holes was -2.062 in strokes gained putting for the third round. The stroke that sent him over the edge was particularly weak, missing wide left and barely long enough to have reached the cup on No. 11. After tapping in one-handed for the par, Jones did a full “Happy Gilmore” and sent the putter flying into the drink.
API: Leaderboard | Photos | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ | Bay Hill drone shots
-Walking after 8-footer when it’s barely off the face
-One hand finish
-Shot puts putter 40 feet in air
-Realizes mid air putter is landing in water, keeps walking like that was his planNo notes pic.twitter.com/B0lKQ6BumF
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) March 5, 2022
Jones was 1 over par in his round at the time and was forced to switch to putting with a wedge. His round didn’t get any better with a double bogey on the 15th. Jones ranks 115th on Tour in putting this season with a -0.051 strokes gained average.
