Who knew that missing the fairway could invite thieves to take advantage? Well before today, the scenario was unheard of, but Matt Fitzpatrick is the first golfer to experience it. The golfer sliced his drive into a bush just before the hooter sounded for round suspension. Well, that delay led the golfer into an unexpected situation, and interestingly, he was not stressed about it.

“It would have been better if they had chucked it back onto the fairway,” said Fitzpatrick after he got to know about the incident. The golfer resumed at the 18th hole on the West course after a 90-minute break, coming back from the clubhouse. And then the spectators told them that two boys had been seen’scurrying off’ with the ball. After deciding, the former US Open champion then chose not to play his provisional ball after consulting with the referee, and he took a penalty drop while making bogie sixes for a six-under 66.

The incident becomes even more hilarious with the fact that Matt’s caddie, Dan, had even envisioned it. “What happens if someone goes sniffing around in the bushes and finds your ball and decides to pocket it?” Dan couldn’t have been more point on with his thoughts.

The golfer shared that the spectator “said they’d seen two young boys dive into the bushes, and come out grinning with a ball. So we decided the balance of probability was that it was my ball, and that I would take a drop in that spot when we got back.” The 31-year-old went a few yards back into the penalty area and chose to continue from there.

The 2022 US Open winner must’ve thanked his lucky stars as he said, “But still, those two little thieves probably saved me a shot.” Matt, on his 18th hole, recorded a bogey with six shots, and if the ball had been in the bush, it could have been worse.

Now he is placed at T4, two strokes shy of the leaders, Tom Vaillant and probable partner for the Ryder Cup, Ludvig Aberg. Fitzpatrick and Aberg are paired in the same group for the round. This has also led to speculation that they may be paired together for Bethpage, especially after Aberg’s post-round press conference.

Well, as of now there has been no further update behind this small-time theft. However, the game of golf has been subjected to a fair share of strange thefts.

From Merchandise to golf bags, some theft stories of golf

In March 2025, a former Augusta National employee was arrested for stealing merchandise and memorabilia worth millions, Richard Brennan Globensky. Some of the stolen items included Green Jackets given to Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan. He was eventually sentenced to a year in prison.

Another annoying and hilarious situation would be Matsuyama’s airport theft after the Paris Olympics. In 2024, Hideki Matsuyama, his caddie, and his coach had their bags stolen. Matsuyama’s wallet was taken, and his caddie and coach lost their passports, forcing him to participate in the St. Jude Championship without them.

These are just a couple of instances of golf’s own blacklist of thieves. But what happened to Fitzpatrick is certainly one to go down in history.