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Justin Thomas Lined Up for Absurd Bank Shot Off Fence, and Golf Fans Had Jokes

This was too relatable.

Tom Dierberger

Justin Thomas Lined Up for Absurd Bank Shot Off Fence, and Golf Fans Had Jokes
Justin Thomas Lined Up for Absurd Bank Shot Off Fence, and Golf Fans Had Jokes /

Justin Thomas found himself in an interesting predicament Thursday during the first round of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Thomas’s tee shot on the par-4 2nd hole ended up cutting way left of the fairway and landed a few inches away from a fence, right next to a cable on the ground. 

He called a rules official over to talk about his next shot but was not granted relief, as under the rules players are not allowed free relief from objects that define or mark the course boundary. He was able to remove an adjacent power cable and rope, but not permitted to move his ball away from the fence.

Instead of taking a penalty, Thomas attempted to bank his next shot off the fence and ricochet it into some playable rough. Here’s how it went:

Remarkably, Thomas plopped his third shot on the green about eight feet from the hole, but missed the putt and settled for a bogey.

Still, an incredible save. Golf fans enjoyed the moment:

Thomas recovered with a birdie on the 3rd hole but registered three bogeys over the next six holes to head to the 10th tee box at 3 over par.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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