Preferred Lies Not Used In PGA Championship, Players Respond

In the days leading up to the PGA Championship, there was a torrential rainstorm.  This rainstorm washed away the practice rounds on Monday.  The conditions were bad enough that there is footage of Hideki Matsuyama practicing his putt in a layer of water where the green used to be.  Going into this, the players expected there to be a preferred lies exception given the course conditions.  However, that was not to be the case as the PGA made a rules announcement that preferred lies would not be in play for the PGA Championship.

Why Would Preferred Lies Be Needed?

Normal rules have players play the ball where it lies.  Preferred lies is the exception that comes into play when course conditions are not the best.  Currently, Quail Hollow is in a condition where the exemption would apply.  Preferred lies has been used plenty of times in PGA events in the past and is a great way to keep the game going without a hitch.  Now, when the players found out that it would not be used during the PGA Championships

Players Respond

The first round went off with several mud balls.  Scheffler, Schauffele, and McIlroy all had to deal with mud wrecking their shots.  Scheffler managed to hit a ball into the pond, with Schauffele not far behind.  McIlroy was right behind both of them, while seeking another major win, with all three making a double bogey on the same hole.

Scheffler, in a press conference after the first round, would blame the poor conditions on poor drainage of the course.  Saying that the course is overseeded and it only promotes more mud balls.  Scheffler went on to say that playing in these conditions is actively hurting his game.  He even alluded to how the lack of preferred lies was unfair not only for him but for many other players.  Scheffler was still proud of his performance and didn’t let it bother him too much in order to keep himself composed.

Schauffele On Prefered Lies

Schauffele, however, let loose on what he thinks of the lack of preferred lies.  He started by describing how “ridiculous” it was to try and just aim his ball only to still land in a pond.  Schauffele then stated that other players would be much more vocal.

“I’m not the only guy.  I’m just in front of the camera.  I wouldn’t want to go in the locker room because I’m sure a lot of guys aren’t happywith sort of the conditions there.  I feel like the grass is so good, there is no real advantage to cleaning your ball in the fairway.  The course is completely tipped out.  It sucks that you’re kinda 50/50 once you hit the fairway.”

Schauffele went on to predict that as the course dries over the next few days, the mud is going to reach the “perfect cake zone”.  He suspects that things will get worse for players.

Should There Be Preferred Lies?

In short, there should have been a preferred lies exemption for the championship.  The course condition is only going to get worse over the next few days.  The top players are baring their teeth and getting through the rounds, but even they are struggling with mud balls.  It is baffling that there was no exception made for preferred lies for the PGA Championship.