Sometimes frustrations can get the better of us in golf and, sometimes, even the professionals can feel the heat when competing out on the course.
At the Rocket Mortgage Classic, a number of players were vying for the lead, with one of those being Cameron Young, an individual who has seven runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour, but is yet to get over the line and pick up a title.
In Detroit, Young was well in the mix, trailing by a single stroke as he tackled the back nine. However, at the par 5 14th, the 27-year-old pulled his tee shot left and, in a moment of frustration, the American leant on his driver, causing it to break and be out of play for the rest of the event...
Cameron Young's driver is officially out of play for the day. pic.twitter.com/97SNDqU4IRJune 30, 2024
Known as one of the longer drivers on the PGA Tour, averaging 306.6 yards and sitting 31st in the Driving Distance standings, Young's driver was not usable after his caddie confirmed it had snapped.
Although he would lose some distance with the driver out of the bag, he did pound his 3-wood 303-yards on the 16th and then 287-yards on the 17th, but a short missed bogey putt on the 16th hole dropped him out of contention.
At the time, many wondered whether Young could replace his driver. Well, under Rule 4.1: "A player is allowed to keep using and/or to repair any club damaged during the round, no matter what the damage and even if the player damaged it in anger."
Young reacts to a missed putt on the 14th during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic
The rule also states: "A player is not allowed to replace a damaged club, except when it is damaged during the round by an outside influence or natural forces, or by someone other than the player or his or her caddie".
With the break happening on the Sunday of the tournament, it is unlikely that Young would have been able to grab an identical shaft to the one he uses, especially as the Tour trucks would have headed home from Detroit and on to the next event.
