Harold Varner III Chunks Tee Shot 128 Yards Whilst Leading Genesis

The American chunked a 3 wood off the tee on the 10th at Riviera just 128 yards

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The American was tied for the lead when he chunked a 3 wood off the tee on the 10th at Riviera just 128 yards

Harold Varner III Chunks Tee Shot 128 Yards Whilst Leading Genesis

Harold Varner III began the final round of the Genesis Invitational two behind the leaders but was tied at the top with just nine to play.

The American was out in one under par on a tough day at Riviera to reach 10 under by the time he was on the tee at the famous 10th hole.

The 10th is considered one of the best par-4s in the world due to its difficulty despite measuring just 304 yards.

It's a great hole because you can make an eagle or a birdie, or just as easily make a bogey or double.

It was the latter for Varner III who somehow managed to chunk his 3 wood off the tee just 128 yards.

Screenshot: PGATour.com

That left him with over 175 yards to the pin.

He pulled his approach left, pitched it long into the bunker and eventually walked off with a double-bogey six, which he compounded with a bogey at the par-5 11th before playing his final seven holes in one over to drop to T13th position.

TV didn't even show his tee shot to the anger of fans but there was a later replay that made its way on social media.

Watch the video below:

"I don't know [if my foot slipped], I just know I missed it, I missed the ball," Varner said after his round.

"I couldn't tell you what exactly happened.

"I just know that I hit the dirt before the ball.

"I've actually done it before, which is funny enough.

"I did it in Korea, same exact thing, same exact wind."

The American said that the chunked shot left a difficult approach into the green.

"Yeah, I was screwed pretty much.

"Yeah, it's not like you can just hit the next one on the green and be like, all right, salvage it.

"Yeah, it's just funny, I'm looking at the hole right now as we're talking about it. It is what it is.

"There's nothing I can really do about it.

"I just wish I would have rebounded a little bit better."

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV