each Thanksgiving Dayone lucky bird gets a presidential pardon.
And the golfers? Um… not so much.
No, instead of justifying the year’s golfing pranks and blunders, we’re taking a moment to review them. Behold, our annual Turkey Awards!
Wyndham Clarkethe short fuse
Although Clark struggled for most of the season, he still hit his fair share of targets. Among them was a sign in The PGA Championshipwhich Clark hit when he threw a stick in anger. Then there was a bank Oakmont Closetswas destroyed by the fiery 31-year-old in a frenzy after missing the cut by one at the US Open. As news of his outburst spread, Clark apologized. But the fallout from the destruction of his property continued. In a letter to its members, Oakmont announced that the 2023 US Open champion would be banned from its grounds until he met a series of conditions, including paying damages, making a donation to a charity chosen by the board and completing counseling or anger management classes.
Impact noise
The inaugural Internet Invitational, hosted by Barstool and Bob Does Sports and featuring a host of YouTube stars, went viral thanks in part to a few moments of regret. These included Luke Kwon sleeping during his time to let down his team and allegations of fraud against Paige Spiranacwho was wounded in tears and, on her own account, was later subjected to death threats.
Penalty with one hit and loss of mobile phone
During Tuesday’s practice round at The Players Championship, Rory McIlroy put a drive in the water and then called a decision against a fan who mocked him for the shot. grabbing the young man’s phone and marching down the fairway. The jumper, who ended up being escorted off the field, turned out to be a member of the University of Texas golf team.
The piece was heard ’round the world
Rory, part II. Standing 86 yards on Augusta’s 13th, poised to end a decade-long drought and finally complete a career Grand Slam, McIlroy hit a wedge at Rae’s Creek – a shocking putt on a Sunday that veered between the sublime and the slapstick. The resulting double bogey briefly threatened to spoil it all – until McIlroy held his own, rose again and won the Masters in sudden death. His historical work will not be forgotten. Not even that amazing swing.
She lost, she lost, she lost…she did!
Everyone loves a redemption story. But redemption only happens after failure. It brings to mind the whirlwind season of Jeeno Thitikul, who would go on to win the 2025 Rolex Player of the Year, but not before birdying the final hole of the Kroger Queen City Championship in September to hand the tournament to Charley Hull.
Nice guys don’t always finish last..
…but they seem to suffer more than their share of pain en route to victories. Witness fan favorite Tommy Fleetwood, whose dismal finish at the Travelers Championship – where he handed the title to Keegan Bradley – was enough to make the steeliest of stomachs turn. That sour finish would soon be washed away by sweet victories in both the FedEx Cup and the Ryder Cup, the latter over Bradley’s team, no less. At the time, however, the gut punch in Travelers was a painful body blow to Fleetwood supporters, partly because – as really good guys often do – he absorbed the agony with such grace.
Glowers by Lowry
Most golf problems are privileged problems, which doesn’t mean they don’t provoke high point levels. Shane Lowry proved as much at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, where the Irishman dropped f-bombs and wobbled angrily on the green after being denied relief from a fairway and then chipped a wedge into a green-side bunker. Lowry later provided the context. He was upset, he said, not by the decision but by what he considered the casual involvement of an ESPN reporter. Lowry was also caught on camera appearing to flash his middle finger through the hole.
Even in Bethpage
There’s nothing wrong with noise at the Ryder Cup. A little verbal ferocity is also fair game, as long as the barbs are clever and not delivered too far below the belt. And never when a guy tries to play his shot. With those and many other minimal measures, insults thrown on the opposition – and especially on McIlroy – it failed miserably. Call them what you will. Infamous. No imagination. Embarrassing. But no words quite capture the depressing brainlessness of what happened.
Turbulent host
In her role as Ryder Cup emcee, comedian and actress Heather McMahan wasn’t thinking clearly when she joined the fans’ chants of “F— you, Rory.” When her cheerleading video went viral, McMahan apologized and left her role. However, many fans carried on in her absence.
;)
