Rules? Heaves? Oscillations? Pebble Beach’s final 40 minutes were wild

To start Pebble Beach’s grand 18th hole, Rickie Fowler’s near-shoulder-length hair sat underneath a black hat affixed traditionally, with the bill in front.

Then the bill was turned 180 degrees.

Finally, after Fowler took his hat off after sinking a 2-footer, the wind took his hair and sent it skyward, the new ’do giving the 5-foot-9 Fowler the height to start at small forward.  

Fowler’s hair, indeed, told the story then of the final 40 or so minutes of Saturday’s third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 

Things were all over the place. 

In one of the more out-of-the-ordinary finishes you’ll see, those in the heavens controlling the wind broke their dial, those playing below grinded and those viewing everywhere watched mesmerizingly. It started at about 3:25 local time. 

With Jacob Bridgeman in the rocks. And Min Woo Lee in the bushes. 

Jacob Bridgeman in the rocks. And Min Woo Lee in the bushes 

Those players, along with Sam Burns, were in the penultimate group, and their tee shots went about as far in the opposite directions as you can go on the 18th. Bridgeman’s ball sailed left and into the rocky area separating the venerable course from the Pacific, though it found a playable piece of land and Bridgeman, after a climb down into the rocks, wedged out. 

Lee, though, wasn’t as fortunate, after his tee ball went right and into the vegetation growing between Pebble and out of bounds defending several pricey neighboring homes. From there, over about six minutes, Lee:

– Took an unplayable lie drop onto the concrete cart path to his left 

– Got a yardage 

– Grabbed an iron 

– Said to those around him: “Don’t try this at home, guys.”

– Then hit 

At about that point, Fowler, Akshay Bhatia and Ryo Hisatsune teed off. The final group had been waiting on the 18th tee box for 11 minutes. 

“I was just freezing at that point, yeah,” said Bhatia, who was leading by two shots. “My hands were warm, but when it’s blowing 35 off the left, off the ocean, it’s brutal.”

(Analysis? This was theatrical.)

Sam Burns skulls a bunker shot, holes out for birdie, then heaves 

At 3:33, Burns caught nearly all ball from a right greenside bunker, and his third shot nearly hit an electronic leaderboard positioned behind the green and in front of the ocean. The crowd groaned. 

At 3:34, Burns four-hopped his ball in for birdie. The crowd cheered. CBS announcer Jim Nantz said: “You got to be kidding me,” Burns exhaled, and his lips raspberried. 

At 3:35, Burns turned to his left and heaved his ball into the water. (It’s the picture at the top of this article.)

(Analysis? This was comical.) 

Min Woo Lee’s ball wobbles, then also goes swimming 

The 18th green is one of the course’s most exposed parts to the ocean’s winds, and that bore out as Lee putted for par amidst 35 mph gusts. Here is a rough description of what came before contact on his 25-footer. 

He read the putt. He moved to putt. He stood up. He took a practice putt. He backed away. His ball had wobbled. He read it again. He took a practice putt. He stood over it. He stood up. His caddie came over. His ball had wobbled again. He stood behind it. He talked to a rules official. He read it again. He stood over it. He stood up. His ball had wobbled once more. He stood back over it. He putted. He missed it long and to the right. 

He sank the comebacker. 

Lee, like Burns, then tossed the ball into the Pacific.  

(Analysis? This was painful. And should you be interested, here is what the rules say about a ball moving on the green due to the wind.) 

More oscillating golf balls

Three more players had to putt, though. 

After Fowler missed a birdie putt at 3:53, Hisatsune stood over an 18-footer for birdie — and putted two minutes later, missing long and to the left. There were more oscillations. More readjustments. More uncertainty. 

At 3:56, Bhatia squatted behind his ball to line up a 6-footer for birdie — and putted three minutes later, missing short. More oscillations. More readjustments. More uncertainty. Another call to a rules official. From there, Bhatia tapped in, and he shook his head in the direction of caddie Joe Greiner. 

“Ball’s oscillating forwards, backwards and that putt is a very simple 7-, 8-footer straight up the hill,” Bhatia said, “but you’re just trying to get the putter to — you’re trying to make a good stroke and then you’re trying to make sure you kind of hopefully get the ball to start somewhere near the hole. 

“So again, I was happy to make 5 there and kind of move on going into tomorrow.”

(Analysis? After Bhatia shot a front-nine 30, you wondered what he could have done on the back nine on a calmer day. Still, he leads by two heading into Sunday’s final round.) 

Ryo Hisatsune’s ball almost blew in 

Really. 

After a couple oscillation delays, Hisatsune missed a par putt long at 4:02 — before the winds almost blew his ball back in. Said Nantz: “In your life, have you ever seen anything like this?” It’s absolutely worth a watch, which you can do below:

Finally, at 4:03, Fowler putted, his hair stood up, and the day was done. But not the tournament. They go again Sunday. 

When the forecast predicts you’ll see more of what you saw over Saturday’s final 40 minutes. 

(Analysis? Can’t wait.) 

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