After an Unprecedented Squabble, a Bizarre Incident Left an LPGA Golfer in Tears: The Infamous Moment From the $2M Event

The 2023 LPGA Tour has proven to be quite a roller coaster ride. As is the case every year, this season has generated significant attention and excitement. With fierce competition in the qualifiers and newcomers making their mark on the leaderboard, this year’s events successfully captivated golf enthusiasts.

One notable event from the season was the Kroger Queen City Championship held at the Kenwood Country Club. Australian golfer Minjee Lee clinched a playoff victory to claim the majority of the $1.75 million prize purse. However, in the middle of all the action, there was an exceptionally unusual incident on the course; something that doesn’t typically ensue.

Unfortunate interference and a ruling drama overshadow the LPGA Tour event

This year at the Kroger Queen City Championship, Bailey Tardy, the LPGA rookie, tried to make an eight-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole of her third round. However, as her ball was rolling towards the hole, another golfer’s ball accidentally hit it, causing it to change direction. This other golfer, Linnea Johansson, had hit her tee shot onto the green from a distance.

Tardy had initially missed the green but managed to chip her ball close to the hole for a birdie attempt. While they were waiting for the green to clear, Johansson decided to hit her tee shot.

The Swedish golfer’s ball landed on a slope short of the green, rolling towards it. It struck Tardy’s ball, preventing it from rolling past the green. Johansson’s ball stopped about four feet away, while Tardy’s ball was deflected, ending up about 10 feet from the hole.

Naturally, Tardy was upset by this unexpected interference, and when Johansson reached the green, there was a heated exchange between them, which, according to witnesses, ended with Johansson in tears.

LPGA rules officials were brought in to assess the situation. After some discussion, they determined that Tardy’s ball had been influenced by Johansson’s ball and allowed her to retake her birdie putt. Johansson’s ball was left where it had stopped.

Also Read: Who Is Bailey Tardy? All You Know About the Dog Loving LPGA Rookie

Indeed, the officials must have had a hard time assessing the rare situation. It’s not every day when two golf balls strike one another to cause such a disruption. However, a similar instance once worked well for another golfer, with the incident recalled fondly as the only par-4 hole-in-one made on the PGA Tour!

Reliving Andrew Magee’s 2001 miracle

With the rare occurrence on the LPGA tour this year, perhaps it is time we commemorate an extraordinary event in professional golf—a hole-in-one on a par-4 hole, a rare occurrence. The incident took place during the Waste Management Phoenix Open, a PGA TOUR event.

It happened in 2001 when golfer Andrew Magee’s tee shot on the 332-yard, 17th hole found its way onto the green. Unbelievably, it hit Tom Byrum’s putter and slid into the hole.

Confusion and surprise filled the moment. On the tee, nobody could confirm what had just happened, and on the green, nobody knew which golfer had struck the ball. The situation also raised questions about how the rules of golf would address such an unusual event.

Later, it became clear that Andrew Magee had made history with his tee shot. While the unwanted contact anointed Magee in the realms of PGA Tour folktale, it yielded nothing but controversy at the Kroger Queen City Championship. However, such unique and rare occurrences keep the spirit of the game alive.

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