In the final round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, J.J. Spaun had a rare stroke of luck on the par-5 9th hole, receiving two free drops that set him up for a crucial birdie.
Strong winds had made play challenging for many golfers vying for the championship title. Despite this, Spaun maintained good control of his game, entering the final round as the leader. However, on the 9th hole, just one shot behind Rory McIlroy and Akshay Bhatia, Spaun found himself in trouble.
Spaun's second shot on the 9th went awry, landing in the rough in a very difficult lie. Yet, he received a fortunate break when he discovered his foot was on a sprinkler head. Under Rule 16, this is considered an "abnormal course condition," entitling him to a free drop.
The good fortune didn't stop there. After his initial drop, Spaun's ball again landed on another sprinkler head. This allowed him to take a second drop, legally moving his ball onto the fairway.
Former renowned caddie Jim 'Bones' Mackay, now a course reporter for NBC and Golf Channel, shared on air:
"It was really interesting. J.J.'s ball was in a terrible spot. He was on a sprinkler head but still far from the fairway. After his drop, within one club length, there was another sprinkler head, and he got another drop. As a result, he ended up in a favorable position on the fairway."
Following this controversial drop, Spaun hit his third shot close to the flag, then successfully made the birdie putt, tying McIlroy's score as they headed into the final nine holes.
McIlroy quickly responded with a birdie on the par-5 11th to move to -12. However, shortly after, the tournament was suspended due to the risk of lightning in the Florida area.
At the conclusion of the round, Spaun and McIlroy were tied at -12 overall. Both will head into a playoff on Monday (local time) to contend for the championship title.
Although Spaun's situation sparked much debate on social media, under the rules of golf, his actions were entirely legitimate and did not violate any regulations.