The conversation around “mud balls” and “preferred lie” started with Jordan Spieth‘s remarks at Augusta National. Frustrated with how “mud balls can affect this tournament [Masters Tournament] significantly,” he went on a tirade about this “taboo” subject. Fans expected the conversation to end there, but discussions about mud balls during majors are like the mud itself—no matter how much you try to shake it off, it just keeps sticking around, as evident at the PGA Championship. Ironically, a LIV golfer couldn’t help but point out the irony of the golfers speaking up about the issue at the PGA Championship.

The PGA Championship kicked off the first round with Scottie Scheffler complaining about “mud balls” and stating, “I don’t make the rules. I deal with what the rules decisions are.” In the second round, golfers like Tyrrell Hatton lost their cool due to the softened turf, a result of the heavy rainfall Quail Hollow experienced in the region. Now, Sergio Garcia pointed out the one thing many golf fans noted: these golfers weren’t speaking up about the issue at Augusta National.

Sergio Garcia, currently playing at the PGA Championship for the weekend rounds, sat down for an interview on HUGO COSTA GOLF and shared his opinion on “mud balls” and “preferred lies.” “Some don’t have the guts to talk up about the mud at Augusta, but they do at the PGA.” Ouch? That’s all that the Spaniard said. While harsh, that is indeed true, at least for the 2025 season.

In 2020, Adam Scott addressed the issue. Given the weather forecast, a concerned Scott said, “It’s very difficult because you lose control of the ball flight, and when you have very small targets to hit into and you don’t know where the ball may go, it’s very hard.” Over the years, many golfers have commented on it, but Garcia has consistently been vocal about his concerns.

After his disappointing final-round performance at Augusta National in 2009, where he recorded a 2-over-par 74 following a 3-over-par 75 on Saturday, Sergio Garcia finished the tournament tied for 38th. Frustrated, he criticized the course, saying: “I don’t like it, to tell you the truth. I don’t think it is fair. Even when it’s dry you still get mud balls in the middle of the fairway. It’s too much of a guessing game.” However, Augusta National does not allow “preferred lies” to maintain the integrity of the tournament, and nothing speaks volumes about their confidence in upholding that integrity like the 2022 Masters Tournament.

That One Time “Mud Balls” Wrecked Havoc at Augusta National (but Nothing Changed)

Here’s how the Masters Tournament looked at Augusta National in 2022: because of the thunderstorms that hit Augusta National Golf Club earlier that week, dropping more than two inches of rain before the 86th Masters, the situation became difficult. Outside the ropes, some areas turned into a muddy mess, and even inside the ropes, it was tough—Tiger Woods received a fortunate drop from standing water after a wayward shot on the 18th hole, which helped him save par.

The area became so soaked that the Augusta Chronicle reported that several recreational spots near the Savannah River temporarily closed due to high water levels. Players feared mud balls just as much as they feared having bad pro-am partners. However, did the officials show any mercy to the golfers by allowing a preferred lie? Unfortunately, the answer was no.

In fact, when Daniel Berger, who started his round mid-morning on Thursday, thought it wise to ask an official whether the field was playing preferred lies, the official reacted as if the World No. 21 had suggested bringing a pet alligator onto the course. “He was kind of shocked that I even asked the question. It was a lot of water, so it was worth the question,” Berger said of the situation.

Like all majors, the hosting bodies hesitate to give players any flexibility, fearing it might undermine the competition’s integrity. At Augusta, it had been ten years since anyone discussed mud balls. Heavy rains in 2012 prompted players to question the rules against lifting, cleaning, and placing the ball, and Augusta National became an “absolute wreck” during the 2012 Masters, with fallen trees, washed-out bunkers, and debris everywhere. Nothing changed, however. Unfortunately, even criticism seems unable to sway the Augusta National authorities.