The Loop

Not the birdie he had in mind

June 18, 2010

PEBBLE BEACH -- Paul Goydos arrived at the 18th tee on Friday needing a birdie to make the cut. The highlight clip that followed wasn't what he had in mind.

After pulling his tee shot left and into the rocks, Goydos attempted a recovery shot back into the fairway, only to have his ball carom off the sea wall -- where, incidentally, he almost hit a bird.

At that point, Goydos had no choice but to trudge back toward the tee to hit his fourth shot. A few minutes later, he was in for a 7. His U.S. Open now over, Goydos had little interest in talking about the debacle afterward.

"I tried to hit it out of the rocks, but it didn't come out. Then I had to go back to where the ball last crossed the line. One of the basic rules of the game," he said, before walking away.

*-- Sam Weinman *