Matt Fitzpatrick had an interesting experience at the BMW PGA Championship. A lot happened in a short period of time, and in the end, the English golfer was penalized for a rule violation.
Although he had started brightly at 6 under par, serious problems arose on the 18th hole of the first round. His ball ended up in the trees, so Fitzpatrick prepared to play a provisional ball in case the original ball could not be found.
At that moment, the storm siren sounded, causing play to be suspended for about 90 minutes. Fitzpatricks caddie expressed concern: what if someone found the original ball in the bushes and took it? Not long after, spectators reported that two boys had jumped into the bushes and emerged laughing with the golf ball.
The English golfer immediately called the rules officials and explained the situation. The officials responded by allowing him to drop a new ball when play resumed, rather than being forced to play a provisional ball.
Everything worked out for Fitzpatrick, who played a bogey-six on that hole.
The experienced golfer knows that if he had played with a provisional ball, he would probably have wasted more strokes.
He also had a few more problems in the second round: on the par-five fourth hole, he noticed that the ball had moved. After consulting with the official, he admitted the violation and received a one-stroke penalty, but managed to save par on the hole.
Saturday and expectations from the English golfer
Matt played brilliantly on Saturday, finishing the third round at 10-under par, staying in contention for the top spots.
The English golfer now has a good chance of success in this tournament, given that he is near the top along with several other golfers. There are many interesting names in the competition, but only one will lift the trophy.
This season, he showed that he knows how to excel in some moments, but for greater success it will be important to show consistency from tournament to tournament.
