The warning signs were already there. When the pros noticed the three-foot fence lining the fairways, they knew things were going to get bad at the Presidents Cup. And they did, especially on Day 2, and not just for one team, but both.
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But let’s kick off with the International team. On Friday, the team found itself trailing the Americans, with the latter holding a 3-2 lead. No doubt every point, or even a tied match, was crucial for Geoff Ogilvy’s team. However, the visitors suffered an early setback when South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout made a costly mistake on the second hole.
A post from NUCLR Golf captured the drama, writing and encouraging debate among the fans: “Christiaan Bezuidenhout goes OB on the 2nd hole at Medinah CC 💀.” Now, what really happened?
On the 2nd hole, Bezuidenhout stuck an approach shot. However, the ball landed in the rough, then bounced over the fence and out of bounds into a group of spectators. The rules forced Bezuidenhout to take a one-stroke penalty. He hit the shot again from the original position. However, the hole ultimately ended in a tie. The problem is, he wasn’t the only one to go O.B. on Friday.
Sam Burns hit an O.B. on day two as well. There were issues on day one, too. But before we look at that and the display of anger from the fans, here’s why things are trickier at Medinah this time around.
This comes after Medinah’s No. 3 course underwent a major renovation by Australian firm OCM in 2023–24 ahead of the 2026 Presidents Cup, transforming it from a narrow, tree-lined layout into a wider, more strategic course that evokes its 1920s origins. But there was one particular change that caught everyone’s attention: wooden fences.
Yes, wooden fences covered the entire left side of the first three opening holes. These fences, as per their function, separated the course from out of bounds. And these fences are very close. On the 1st, for instance, the distance between the fence and the fairway is merely a couple of yards. On the 2nd, it’s shorter. The third, as per Golf, is somewhere in between. It’s a nightmare, and the pros have accepted that much.
When Collin Morikawa first saw these, he said, “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Si Woo Kim worried that “If it misses left, you pretty much give the hole.” Justin Thomas said, “It’s very nerve-racking.” And these weren’t the only changes.
Hundreds of trees were removed, fairways widened, rough reduced, greens enlarged, and the number of bunkers increased from approximately 70 to 117. Several holes were also redesigned or replaced, with new risk-reward challenges around Lake Kadijah.
For the Presidents Cup, the routing was further adjusted to begin at the downhill fifth hole, bringing the dramatic lakeside stretches into play earlier and increasing their potential to influence match outcomes. And the effects of these changes were quite visible even on Day 1.
Jackson Koivun of the U.S. team hit his drive OB on the second hole and also had an approach that threatened the fence near the green. Meanwhile, the International team’s players Ryan Fox and Si Woo Kim both sent their tee shots out of bounds on the same hole. Hideki Matsuyama narrowly avoided a penalty when his ball finished just inside the fence on the first hole, forcing him to play an awkward second shot from the rail.
And Sungjae Im got a fortunate bounce when his tee shot struck the fence on the second but rebounded back into play. Regardless, Bezuidenhout, who partnered with Adam Scott to face Thomas and Cameron Young, was made to sit out Friday’s four-ball session by team captain Ogilvy. So, naturally, he might not be too happy about shooting an OB.
When fans discovered the post from NUCLR Golf, they quickly started debating whether the OB was fair. And it is entertaining.
One fan commented under the post, “It’s fair because both sides have to play the same setup. But this hole is a joke and a gimmick. Let’s be honest. Anything would have been better- rock wall, railroad ties, cedar hedge.” Someone will have to take it up with Ogilvy. Besides, as per reports, on Thursday, one could see both the fences in a hole. Not only that, on the first day, the 2nd hole’s pin was just a couple of paces away.
One user appeared to have a straightforward answer. “I mean, they know it’s there, and everyone plays it the same,” wrote the user. However, the changes to the course were intended to make the competition more dramatic, but they felt more like punishment for the players.
The next fan had a similar view of the OB. “Everyone is playing the same course. What a stupid question,” the fan commented. Notably, International team captain Geoff Ogilvy’s firm, OCM, renovated the course. So, theoretically, his side should be more well-versed in the course.
Someone else also felt there’s nothing unfair about it. “Everyone can see where OB is,” the user claimed. The next fan sang the same song. “It’s only fair because everyone else is playing by the same rules,” wrote the fan. Now, to make it more interesting, Garrett Morrison of the Fried Egg Golf reported that the grass between the fairway and the fence had grown. Meaning, it could potentially slow shots.
Meanwhile, another user decided to mock the golfer. “I guess hitting to the middle of the green would’ve been too easy? If you know it’s OB left… TF are you starting the ball left for?” the user asked.
Clearly, most fans don’t see any problems with the OB. However, had there been no changes to the course, the same shot might not have been an OB.