Even the best golfers in the world are losing to the biggest loser.
Tiger Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship comes to mind immediately. Woods took the lead of 54 holes that year at Hazeltin, but lost three times to Ye Yang on Sunday after seeing his putter get colder on ice. Other important confusion in golf history include Larry Mize, who beat Greg Norman in the playoffs at Augusta National in 1987, Michael Campbell, who was second in Pinehurst in 2005, and perhaps the biggest upset of all: Francis Wymmett won at Brookline at the 1913 US Open.
Golf is an unexpected game. Anything can happen on any day, including losing to an amateur who carries 10 handicap.
Yes, the strokes have something to do with it, but that happened.
“I was one of those not a very good golfer last weekend, he seemed like a 10 handicap and he beat me in our side bet for the day,” explained the world's No. 1 Scotty Schaeffler ahead of this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“And I was talking [my coach] fill [Kenyon] And that's one of the great things about golf. I can go out with a guy who is going to shoot 90 and give him enough strokes to where we have a good competition. That's a lot of fun about the game of golf. ”
At last year's tour championship, Schaeffler revealed he has a plus seven index. Based on that number, Schaeffler had to give his friend 10 handicaps 17 strokes. Schaeffler had to give strokes to all holes except for the 18th obstacle hole. This is usually the easiest par 3 on the course.
However, despite that inconsistency, Schaeffler's friend stopped a bunker shot on hole 18 to win the match.
“I thought he could potentially shank it, so it didn't get in the way and he stopped it in the hole,” Schaeffler said with a laugh.
“It was so much fun. I didn't like losing, so I handed him the money and told him, “Thank you, man. I was able to participate in the golf tournament next week, so I'd like to thank you for the confidence boost I just lost to 10 handicaps.”
Jack Mirco is a golf staff writer who plays SB Nation. Follow him with x @jack_milko.
