In the end on Sunday at Detroit Golf Club, Chris Kirk made a double-bogey 6 on the 410-yard, par-4 13th hole. But the number of things that didn’t happen to him on the hole during the Rocket Classic’s final round is likely smaller than the things that actually did. A true bonanza of the bizarre.
Let’s go in order. You can decide what’s most memorable.
Stroke one — a mistake
Kirk hit a 296-yard drive into the left rough, and he had 122 yards to the hole.
This seems harmless. But Detroit GC’s rough was thick — and it was doing all kinds of funky things to club faces.
Said analyst Colt Knost on the CBS broadcast: “This rough, just getting thicker and thicker as the week goes on, obviously with that rain.”
Stroke two — a shank and a hot mic moment
Kirk hit his ball 85 yards and into the fescue grass right of the fairway, and he had 68 yards to the hole.
From left to right via a shank. If you’ve been scrolling through social media, you’ve probably seen this already (and you can watch it below). Upon contact, Kirk’s ball darted very right, and, on his follow-through, the six-time PGA Tour winner let go of his iron with his right hand. Said analyst Mark Immelman on the CBS broadcast: “Oh my goodness. That was hit with the wrong part of the clubface.”
But that wasn’t the only thing that was said. Mics picked up these five words from the background, presumably from a fan:
This was insult to injury. No one, at first, could find Kirk’s ball after the shank. Playing partners Rickie Fowler and Cameron Young looked in the cabbage-like rough, as did caddies, officials and Immelman. Said the latter during the search: “Yeah, trying to look for a ball, but this fescue is healthy. I mean, the chances of finding something in here are slim to none.” This created a rules talk — Kirk had three minutes to find his ball, and if he didn’t, he’d have to take a penalty stroke and replay the shot from where he had just hit.
Fortunately for Kirk, the ball was found; it appeared Fowler spotted it. Still, the ball was blanketed by the grass. Interestingly, Immelman said on the broadcast that Kirk was about to give up looking.
Another rules talk and a penalty stroke
Kirk could play the ball — and flirt with disaster. Or he could take relief under an unplayable ball, taking a penalty stroke.
Kirk chose the latter, and he opted to use back-on-the-line relief.
Stroke four — and a walk
Kirk was 79 yards from the hole. Ahead of the shot, he walked all the way up to the green, then back.
Said Immelman on the broadcast: “I think it’s dual-purpose walking. Some of it is to blow off a lot of steam, and the other is just to get a correct number to what he’s got. If there is a little sunshine behind these dark clouds, he does have a little room with which to work in the rough here.”
Kirk’s ball fell just short of the green.
Strokes five and six — a pair of putts and a tumble
From 29 feet away and just off the green, Kirk putted with his fifth stroke, and his ball just missed to the left of the hole.
His sixth stroke was a tap-in.
He’d started the hole just one shot back of the lead. Now he was three back with five holes to go. In the end, Kirk finished tied for eighth after an even-par 70.
Said Knost on the broadcast: “That was a costly double bogey.”
