A U.S. Open course can humble even the best players in the world, and if that course is Shinnecock Hills, the chances of that could increase multifold. But one opening-round moment left golf fans wondering whether they had just witnessed a pro or a weekend golfer under pressure. On the par-4 14th, Patrick Reed got past a fescue just to land in another one.

“The fescue at Shinnecock is no joke,” the US Open’s official X account shared.

The post features a video in which the American professional takes his second shot on the 14th, just 170 yards to the hole. While he was trying to hit straight towards the hole, the ball went to his left. What likely happened was that the hosel of his club contacted the long grass on the hole.

The job of a hosel is to allow the clubface to rotate around the body when a golfer swings. However, when it hits long grass, the clubface tends to shut, causing the golf ball to fly in an unconventional direction.

While many fans laughed at him, a handful were impressed that he could finish the hole with just a bogey, despite the hiccup. Many professionals themselves acknowledged that just one bad shot can be very punishing at Shinnecock Hills. The Northern Irishman is one of them.

“The first cut of the rough is 5 inches long. The fairways are very, very generous, so if you miss the fairway, I feel like you deserve a bad lie,” Rory McIlroy said after his scouting trip earlier this month.

Even Bryson DeChambeau uploaded a video on Instagram, testing the rough at Shinnecock before the major started, and his ball barely went ahead when he hit from inside the rough. His reaction was candid at best: “Oh boy…” he said.

Anyways, Patrick Reed is not the only professional to have faced this horror. The hustle’s romance with long grass has derailed rounds of many professionals across different events.

Steve Stricker, for instance, experienced it during the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion. He was playing on the par-5 2nd hole when he hit a shank. The ball went out of bounds. Henrik Stenson also faced it during the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral. In the opening round, he hit a cold, hard shank and ended with a double bogey on the hole.

Even Tiger Woods was not immune to shanks. At the 2024 Genesis Invitational, he hit a hosel rocket on the 18th hole of the opening round. The ball went at nearly a 90-degree angle into the trees. It then tumbled down a sidehill before resting.

For most professionals, such a shot is written off as a tough break. Patrick Reed, however, has rarely enjoyed the benefit of the doubt from fans.

Fans target Patrick Reed after a viral U.S. Open moment

“The cameraman might need neck surgery after that,” one user joked.

While it was exaggerated, the comment reflects how wildly the ball veered off its intended line. But that’s exactly how howitzer rockets are. They are among the most unpredictable golf shots.

Some fans were baffled by the mechanics of the shot. “I’m not even sure how this is possible,” one fan said, while the other wrote, “I was doing fine before seeing that clip haha my god.”

While shanks do occur at the professional level, too, they are rare. So, it is likely that someone who doesn’t play the sport or watch it regularly might not have seen one until now. However, Shinnecock’s thick fescue increases the chances of such bizarre results.

Another fan highlighted Reed’s polarizing reputation among golf followers. The nine-time PGA Tour winner has himself said that golf media has painted him as a villain. Echoing the same, one user said, “Best shot of the tournament so far. I can’t stand Patrick Reed.”

One fan wrote, “He looks like a baby with a 40-year-old body.”

Although for all the wrong reasons, the shot became one of the most memorable moments of the opening round.