RBC Heritage

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You need a physics degree to explain how this Tyler Duncan bunker shot wound up in the hole

October 27, 2022

Unlike Bryson DeChambeau, I don't possess a physics degree. In fact, I dropped out of AP Physics (NBD) my senior year of high school after just one day. Hopefully, my parents have gotten over that one. Regardless, the point is, I have no chance explaining how this Tyler Duncan bunker shot went in the hole.

All I know is that Duncan's third shot on the par-5 seventh hole on Thursday at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship did, somehow, wind up in the hole. But after watching the replay at least 30 times, I still don't get it.

Have a look for yourself as the ball takes one hop before bouncing into the front edge of the cup the ricocheting out of the hole. From there, it then does nearly a full 360 before pausing on the edge, and then finally dropping into the cup for a miraculous eagle. Check it out:

Crazy. That is some kind of sorcery there. And it was part of a sizzling six-under-par 30 on the front nine for Duncan as he moved near Austin Smotherman's early first-round lead.

I get that bunker shots can produce a tremendous amount of spin, but isn't hitting the flagstick supposed to take some/most of that off? And how can a ball that's bouncing backward, then suddenly move forward and circle around the hole like that? And then after seemingly coming to a complete stop, suddenly fall into the hole? Again, sorcery.

Or, just really, really advanced physics. Where's Bryson when you need him?