Professional golfer Matt Fitzpatrick faced a challenging situation during the final round of the BMW Championship at Castle Pines in Colorado. Starting the day strong with birdies on the first three holes, Fitzpatrick encountered an issue on the eighth hole when he noticed a crack on the face of his driver. Seeking a ruling from the PGA Tour rules official, it was determined that the crack did not meet the standard of being “significantly damaged,” preventing him from replacing it under USGA Model Local Rule G-9. Frustrated by the decision, Fitzpatrick expressed his discontent with the ruling, stating that the crack was affecting his ball flight and that he would have to rely on his 3-wood for the remainder of the round.
The situation drew criticism not only from Fitzpatrick but also from NBC Sports analyst Kevin Kisner, who described the ruling as a “terrible rule” and a “no-brainer.” Despite the disagreement, PGA Tour chief referee Stephen Cox defended the decision, explaining that while the crack was visible, it did not meet the criteria for being deemed significantly damaged as there was no separation in the metals. As a result, Fitzpatrick had no choice but to continue using the driver or switch to his 3-wood if he preferred. Fitzpatrick continued his round with the 3-wood, but his performance suffered as he bogeyed the eighth hole, made double bogey on the 10th, and struggled to make pars in the final stretch of the round.
Ultimately, Fitzpatrick’s two-under-par 70 was not enough to secure a spot in the Tour Championship at East Lake, as he finished tied for 28th place and was projected to be 40th in the FedEx Cup standings. With only the top 30 players in points advancing to Atlanta, Fitzpatrick’s missed opportunity to compete in the Tour Championship was a disappointing outcome after his strong start in the BMW Championship. Despite the setback, Fitzpatrick will have the opportunity to regroup and refocus for future tournaments as he looks to climb the FedEx Cup standings and secure his spot in upcoming championships.
