The Argentinian player has always been the kind of player fans quietly root for. He had flashes of brilliance but has mostly flown under the radar, battling through long stretches where nothing seemed to go right. The player is none other than Emiliano Grillo. His biggest moment came back in 2023 when he pulled off a hard-fought playoff win at the Charles Schwab Challenge, ending a 7-year drought without a win. Since then, though, he hasn’t been able to ride that momentum. It’s been two full years without a win, and he’s struggled to find the consistency needed to stay in the mix on Sundays. 

Until this week, when he came an inch close to the win but tragically lost the playoff to Brian Campbell. For the first time in a long time, he had the right form and consistency. Grillo only carded 3 bogeys in all 4 rounds. Grillo made a birdie on the 17th with a nice up-and-down and had a solid par on 18 despite hitting his drive into a divot. He finished tied with Campbell at 18-under 266. And, Campbell shot a 4-under 67 in the final round and beat Grillo with a par on the first playoff hole.

Not only did he lose the playoff, but also an exciting one-time chance to win a  $1.512 million paycheck. What’s interesting is that on the very same 18th hole during regulation, Grillo had a strange moment of mishap. 

His tee shot landed near the gallery, and a marshal mistakenly picked up the ball, thinking it was out of play. Under the rules, Grillo was allowed a free drop at the estimated spot where the ball had come to rest. The ruling was correct and in line with golf’s guidelines, but the moment still drew attention from fans.

While the drop did not break any rules, it’s possible the interruption affected Grillo’s momentum heading into the playoff. Though purely speculative, such disruptions have been known to impact a player’s focus, especially in high-pressure moments. Whether the incident played any role in what followed is unclear, but it added another layer to an already tense finish. The moment also left fans furious, with many questioning how a marshal could make such a mistake on the final hole of regulation.

What did the fans have to say?

“I’m sorry, a marshal picked up Grillo’s ball?!” Fans were stunned. This almost never happens during play, especially on the 18th hole with everything on the line. Marshals are expected to stay clear unless directed, and this was seen as a clear mistake.

One fan added, “No fault on his part. I have no problem with this. What I do have a problem with is a Marshall picking up his ball.” While similar incidents are rare, they’re not unheard of. In the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open, a volunteer accidentally stepped on Rory McIlroy’s ball while searching in the rough. The volunteer didn’t inform Rory, so he assumed the ball was embedded and took free relief. There was no rule-breaking, so no penalty was imposed. 

The sarcasm soon kicked in, too. “My guess is the marshal picked up golfing during Covid.” The sarcasm here was sharp, with fans joking that only someone who started learning the game off YouTube during lockdown would think it’s okay to grab a ball mid-play.

“I doubt that Marshal will be invited back next year.” These were just a few of the many reactions flooding social media after the incident. “Yeah, don’t touch the ball,” one fan wrote. While the rules cleared Grillo of any wrongdoing, the marshal’s error became part of the story. Whether it impacted the outcome or not, his action is now linked to a key moment in the tournament, and it’s likely he’ll be remembered for it.

In the end, this loss stung more than most for Grillo. He had the form, the fight, and came painfully close. All eyes will now be on him to see if he can bounce back and turn things around in the next event.