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Never once crossed my mind’ – Officials intervened to deny PGA Championship victory after unknown rule violation

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Just ask Dustin Johnson, who could have won his first major in 2010 at the PGA Championship.

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Instead, a small but incredibly costly oversight meant the victory champagne for a major was on ice until 2016 when he won the U.S. Open.

Going into the final round of the PGA Championship, Johnson required only a par on the par-four 18th to notch his maiden major title.

He’d earned a one-shot lead thanks to impressive birdies on the 16th and 17th holes which put him ahead of Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson.

Unfortunately for Johnson, he began the final hole with an errant tee shot that flew to the right of the fairway and settled in a sandy patch.

Although there was sand in the vicinity of the ball, it was not a traditional bunker.

But then again, Whistling Straits isn’t exactly a traditional course and Johnson unfortunately learned that the hard way.

Despite Whistling Straits boasting over 1,000 bunkers across the course, many of them would be seen as ‘waste areas’ where players could ground their club in the process of striking the ball.

However, a unique rule was in play for the 2010 PGA Championship which meant every sand patch dotted across the course was to be played as a hazard.

Johnson grounded his club prior to taking his shot in an area that was deemed to be a bunker and incurred a two-stroke penalty as a result of the infringement.

The American remained blissfully unaware of the rule he’d just broken as he missed his putt for par, meaning he had to settle for a bogey and was set for a play-off.

Well, at least he thought that was going to be the case until PGA rule officials broke the bad news almost immediately after he’d carded his bogey on the 18th.

Understandably it took Johnson some time to register the error he had just made, but he eventually shared his perspective on the rollercoaster of emotions he’d endured.

“I just thought I was on a piece of dirt that the crowd had trampled down,” Johnson said.

“I never thought I was in a sand trap. It never once crossed my mind that I was in a bunker.

“Obviously I know the rules of golf and I can’t ground my club in a bunker, but that was just one situation I guess.

As harsh as it sounds, Johnson should definitely have paid closer attention to the rule sheet because it outlined the specific bunker rule he fell foul of.

Organisers went to great lengths to inform players of the rule as each competitor was handed a note which had all the details, with the same note also pinned up in the locker room.

The note read: “All areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers will be played as bunkers (hazards), whether or not they have been raked.

“This will mean that many bunkers positioned outside of the ropes, as well some areas of bunkers inside the ropes, close to the rope line, will likely include numerous footprints, heel prints and tire tracks during the play of the Championship.

“Such irregularities of surface are a part of the game and no free relief will be available from these conditions.”

Nick Watney, who played alongside Johnson in the final twosome, was one who expressed his support for his crestfallen rival having made a ‘really unfortunate’ error.

“Honestly, I don’t think anyone reads the sheet,” Watney said.

“We’ve played hundreds of tournaments. We get a sheet every week. I feel for him. I’ve never seen fans in a bunker with a player. That was a little odd.

“I will say this. Dustin was adamant that he did ground his club. And it was on the sheet.

“Man, that’s a tough call, though. Guy’s first major. Playoff. It’s really unfortunate.”

It was Kaymer who ultimately prevailed over Watson in the playoff, but the story remained centred on Johnson and his brutal blunder.

Although he may not have won at Whistling Straits that year, at least Johnson learned a pivotal lesson that has undoubtedly served him well for the rest of his career.

 

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Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture

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The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the spotlight isn’t only on prospects and front offices. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has again found herself pulled into NFL conversation, this time for her open support of multiple teams.

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With the Steelers hosting the first round, her long-standing connection to Pittsburgh has resurfaced. But it’s not just about hometown ties. Her broader fandom, which stretches beyond one franchise, continues to draw mixed reactions at a time when fan loyalty is often treated as non-negotiable.

Paige Spiranac roots for 2 NFL teams: Who are they?

Paige Spiranac has never hidden where her loyalties lie, even if they don’t fit the usual mold. She has consistently pointed to her roots while leaving space for other allegiances.

“Both my parents are from Pittsburgh so I’ve been a Steelers ..fan since the day I was born. I also love the Bills. It’s a complicated relationship…Who’s your team?” she previously asked her followers. It’s a candid admission, one that reflects personal history more than calculated fandom.

Still, the reaction has been sharp. NFL culture tends to rew ..

 

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Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.

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Sometimes the most important work happens when nobody is really watching.
Lexi Thompson was out on the 18th green, working through her putting during a practice round ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston.

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It’s a simple scene, but it shows the kind of quiet preparation that goes into these big tournaments—getting the feel of the greens, adjusting to conditions, and building trust in every stroke.

These are the small details that can shape how a player starts when the pressure kicks in.

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Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses

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It looks like LIV Golf is over.

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The Saudi Public Investment Fund has reportedly decided that this league simply isn’t worth the hole it’s burning in their pocket, and they’re pulling funds at the end of 2026.

That gives them less than a year to seek new investment. While CEO Scott O’Neil seems confident, it’s going to be extremely difficult to secure funding for a league that is operating at such eye-watering losses.

So this probably pulls the curtain closed on one of the most turbulent, frustrating, confusing, and ridiculous eras in golfing history. Hopefully, we can all return to some reality after the year is over.

But there is still so much uncertainty surrounding golf’s future thanks to this. Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed saw the signs early and jumped ship, but they did that with some leverage. So what on earth is going to happen to the rest of these players who didn’t take the olive branch when it was offered to them?

Feelings will be hurt, and careers will be ended. Let’s take a look.

Jon Rahm rejoins the PGA Tour

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the returning member program, which saw him pay $5 million to charity, accept that he’ll receive no FedEx Cup bonus money, and agree he cannot be a sponsor exemption for the 2026 signature events.

 

That same deal was offered to Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. They didn’t accept it, but a similar offer will likely be handed out to them again.

 

If LIV Golf folds, Rahm will not hold the same leverage as Koepka did, but he is a bigger star at this stage of his career. Make no mistake, the PGA Tour will want him back immediately.

But Rahm does risk leaving himself without any options at all. Reed didn’t come straight back to the PGA Tour, so he’s spending a year on the DP World Tour first. You’d imagine Rahm would consider doing the same, but it might not be so easy for him.

Rahm is in a feud with the DP World Tour, as the only one of eight players to reject a deal which would have seen him retain his full-time membership. If Rahm agreed to play in six DP World Tour events this year, then he could have played on both LIV Golf and the tour. He did not agree.

For now, his membership is at risk. So, will it be possible for him to spend a season on the DP World Tour like Reed? Maybe not. That makes it all the more likely that Rahm will be back on the PGA Tour the moment LIV folds.

Bryson DeChambeau does YouTube full-time

With DeChambeau, I don’t think it’s as much of a done deal that he returns to the PGA Tour. Not immediately anyway.

He’s been negotiating his contract with LIV, which expires at the end of this season. During these negotiations, he’s made it very clear that he is completely willing to step away from full-time competition and be a full-time YouTuber.

DeChambeau’s channel has over two million subscribers, so he could feasibly do that with all of the money he’s making there.

He was annoyed to see LIV move to a four-day format, so he could commit himself fully to being the content king. It would be a wild thing to do, but it’s also exactly the kind of move you could see the two-time major winner making.

He could qualify for The Open Championship and the US Open, and earn enough points there to play The Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s possible.

He does seem to live for competition, so maybe YouTube won’t quite scratch the itch, but it is on the table for DeChambeau. At least for a year until his suspension expires. Out of Rahm and DeChambeau, the American is absolutely the least likely to take a deal.

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