Nick Hardy Accidentally Breaks 9-Iron, Still Makes Birdie at 3M Open

Nick Hardy was 5-under through 17 holes at the 3M Open when he found himself in a treacherous position on the 18th hole of TPC Twin Cities that could have easily left a sizable blemish on his scorecard. 

The PGA Tour rookie fanned his drive to the right, and his ball came to rest almost directly behind a tree, just yards away from the expansive water hazard that guards the 18th fairway and green. The trunk of the tree would be directly in the way of his follow-through. 

“I had 176 hole, 153 front, but I had to aim at the right side of the green. The way the green peels like that, I had to carry it at least almost to pin high to 176. I had an angle to hit the shot, I just had to hook a 9-iron with no follow-through, so that was a tough shot, that was the tough part about the shot,” Hardy explained.

Hardy was faced with a nasty predicament, but there was one important detail: The swing was going to be his final approach shot of the day. And for that reason, the 27-year-old could get a little bit more creative with his options. 

Hardy ultimately decided to ignore the obstacle in front of him in favor of the hero move, and it proved to be the right decision. He took a whack at the ball, putting some sweeping right to left spin on the shot, and stuck it to just 11 feet. 

In the process however, Hardy’s 9-iron smacked against the tree trunk with significant speed and his shaft nearly broke in two pieces—a first for the University of Illinois product.

“I've had inadvertent bent clubs not through throwing clubs or anything, just they've been a little bent sometimes just through, I don't know, wear and tear maybe, but I've never hit a shot and bent a club before,” he said. 

Hardy looked to be shocked by the result, but he had some fun with the surprising outcome, displaying his now useless golf club to the surrounding gallery. 

Hardy might have walked away with a completely bent 9-iron iron, but he did give himself an excellent look at birdie. He sunk the 11-footer and posted a 6-under 65. 

After the round, Hardy wasn’t able to show off the sacrificed 9-iron because his caddie—who apparently is expert at repairing golf clubs—bent it right back into shape before putting it back in the bag. 

“He bent it back, yeah, right away. He's really good with club repair. Unfortunately for you guys, it looks much better now. I've got it in my hand right now just to keep working on it at lunchtime just in case Titleist can't get me one in time, but we'll see,” Hardy said.

Hardy, who won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Davis Riley, will look to capture his first solo PGA Tour victory this week in Blaine, Minn.