Golfer Matt Fitzpatrick was outraged on Sunday after being denied the opportunity to replace his cracked driver during the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo.
Fitzpatrick was on the 8th hole during Sunday’s final round when he noticed a crack in the head of his driver. He sought permission to replace his driver or driver head due to the crack, but he was denied.
PGA Tour Chief Referee Stephen Cox acknowledged that the head was cracked, but he determined the damage did not meet the threshold of being “significantly damaged” that would have been necessary to be replaced.
“The rule details a number of situations where the club would be allowed to be replaced, but the rule states that a crack in and of itself does not meet the threshold of being significantly damaged,” Cox said. “In our assessment — not only the first official, but also a couple of others including myself — that threshold of being significantly damaged hadn’t been met. Although there was a small crack in the face, there was no separation in the metals and on that basis that threshold wasn’t met.”
Fitzpatrick called the decision “outrageous.”
Matt Fitzpatrick, 36th in the FedExCup entering the week, called for a ruling for a driver crack.
Under the USGA’s Model Local Rule G-9, a club is not replaceable solely because of a crack, and he was not permitted to replace it at the time due to lack of significant damage. pic.twitter.com/X5kEPkee1q
— PGA TOUR LIVE (@PGATOURLIVE) August 25, 2024
Fitzpatrick still shot 2-under par for the final round and was -1 for the tournament. The 29-year-old golfer won the 2022 US Open for his lone major and has won twice on the PGA Tour.
