World number one Dustin Johnson was involved in a tense exchange with Kevin Na during the WGC-Match Play, with Na annoyed about Johnson's pace of picking up his putt at the 11th hole.
Dustin Johnson And Kevin Na Involved In Tense Exchange
In what was an already dramatic and tense final set of matches at the WGC-Match Play, Kevin Na would add yet more tension to the day by calling out world number one Dustin Johnson.
Playing the 11th hole, Johnson was faced with an eight-foot-putt for birdie to take a one up advantage. However, the world number one’s putt would lip out, and, instead of waiting for his opponent to concede the par putt, which he would have, Johnson tapped back his ball.
After picking up his putt, Na didn’t seem happy, with the American wanting to discuss the situation with Johnson on the green.
Watch the incident below:
Don't see this often.
Kevin Na and Dustin Johnson having a discussion about conceding a putt at the #DellMatchPlay.
Seems like Na wanted to say the putt was good first, while DJ just picked it up. pic.twitter.com/iXJdZLOzOQ
— Cam Rogers (@MrRogers99) March 26, 2021
Speaking to Johnson, Na said: “I know it’s this [holding his hand about a foot apart], but you still have to wait until I say something,”
Na didn’t end up calling a penalty on Johnson, and the two players halved the hole with pars. However, the incident seemed to have an affect on the world number one, who found the water hazard with his second shot on the 12th hole to fall back into a tie with Na.
Playing the last hole all-square, Na would hole a five-foot putt for birdie for an unlikely victory, with the pair exchanging a tense fist-bump as the final putt dropped.
Speaking after his final round, Na said: “His [putt] lipped out and he had 6 inches and obviously it’s good, but I hadn’t said anything and he whacked it. I froze there and looked at [caddie Kenny Harms] and I wasn’t going to say that’s a penalty, you’re going to lose the hole. I was going to say, you know what, that was good anyway.”
Garcia and Kuchar endured a similar scenario in 2019. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
There have been a few similar moments at this event before. In 2019, Sergio Garcia backhanded a putt during his quarter final match with Matt Kuchar. The Spaniard had missed his putt and lost the hole when Kuchar informed him he hadn’t conceded it.
Johnson, who has now failed to advance out of pool play for the third consecutive time in this event, declined to comment.