Social Media Reacts After DeChambeau Denied Free Drop From Red Ants

The American was denied a free drop during the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational

DeChambeau Denied Free Drop From Red Ants
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The American was denied a free drop during the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational

Social Media Reacts After DeChambeau Denied Free Drop From Red Ants

Bryson DeChambeau was denied a free drop at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational after claiming that his ball could have been on a red ants nest.

The Golfing Scientist hit a drive down the left of the 7th hole at four under and eventually went on to double bogey after the rules official did not allow him a free drop.

Bryson's ball was resting up against some twigs and a tree root and he was seen telling the official that he could see a red ant, although the official was having none of it.

The official, Ken Tackett, said that he didn't see any fire ants to deem it a dangerous shot to play.

Watch a short clip of the ruling below:

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If there were dangerous fire ants present, DeChambeau could have been given relief.

The rules state that: A “dangerous animal condition” exists when a dangerous animal (such as poisonous snakes, stinging bees, alligators, fire ants or bears) near a ball could cause serious physical injury to the player if he or she had to play the ball as it lies."

"Yeah, that was weird," DeChambeau said about the incident after his round.

"So there was discoloured dirt and I saw a couple red ants there and I was thinking, hmm, anthill, may get something or whatnot.

"Asked him and he was like, well, it's got to be, you know, kind of endangering you. And I was, just an anthill.

"So there was just discussion there and he didn't think it was necessary for a drop, so I'm always going to respect the officials and go, okay, no issue, that's fine.

"Didn't help that I had a really, really bad lie, too, but one of those -- I had two twigs lodged in between my ball. Is what it is."

Bryson's red ant moment caused a storm on social media, and CBS, the host broadcaster, eventually deleted their tweet featuring a video of the incident.

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DeChambeau shot a three under par 69 on day one in Memphis.

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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