Travelers contender Russell Henley called penalty on himself that could cost millions, says it was 'teaching moment' for his son
Russell Henley hits a drive during the third round of the Travelers Championship.
Andrew Redington
Russell Henley didn’t know he was going to get into deep contention at the Travelers Championship by shooting a career-best 61 on Saturday at TPC River Highlands. He didn’t know that he’d truly have a shot at winning his second PGA Tour signature event of the season and the $3.6 million champion's check.
All Henley knew in the second round on Friday is that he had to do the right thing.
After hitting his “terrible” tee shot at the par-3 eighth hole into deep greenside rough, Henley told CBS anchor Jim Nantz on Saturday that as he was taking his club back on his second shot and saw his ball move by “about a dimple.”
Henley was thrilled to eventually get up and down for a par, but he knew there might be a problem, even if no one else or even a camera saw anything happen. “I went through it with the officials and just kind of tried to understand the rule better and how it works,” Henley said. “You have to be completely certain that it moved, and I was. And so I call [a one-stroke penalty] and moved on.”
Henley told reporters later that he’d faced instances in the past when he was uncertain about taking a penalty.
“There's been a couple times where I've been unsure that it moved,” he said. “And I had a talk with [tour rules official] Ken Tackett about it, and multiple officials I've had that conversation with. And I've kind of beat myself up about it and feel guilty—kind of like, ‘I wasn't sure. Is that a penalty?’ It was, like, well, if you're not certain, then it's not a penalty. So I had that battle, Well, I think it might of, but I don't know. I can't stand that part of having to decide.
“But, yeah, it was hard; it was hard to put it behind me, just because it was such a hard day, it was such a good par save, and to make a 3 but to count it as a 4 was like, ugh, but part of it.”
Despite the possiblity that one stroke could be a $1.5 million difference between first and second in the Travelers, Henley had no regrets for a very strong reason. “It was a good teaching opportunity for my son, who was watching,” he said.
Henley still finished Friday with a 68 that put him inside the top 15 heading into the weekend, and then it sure seemed like he got some golf karma back. On Saturday, the five-time tour winner from Georgia made nine birdies and no bogeys in the nine-under 61 that ties for the second-lowest round on tour this season. (Only Jake Knapp’s 59 in February’s Cognizant Classic is lower.)
Henley heads into Sunday tied with U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (70) at 13 under, and they trail leader Tommy Fleetwood (63) by three shots. While Fleetwood is trying to win his first PGA Tour event, Henley will attempt to bookend his two signature wins this season, the first coming in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.