Scottie, Xander point to mud balls as cause for double-bogeys
Major championship golf is regarded as the sternest test in the sport, with course setups meant to challenge players at a level above a regular PGA TOUR event.
One of the ways that's done is by avoiding preferred lies after a rainstorm - a situation that allows players in the fairway to lift, clean, and place their ball.
While the practice is common on the PGA TOUR, it isn't in the majors. In fact, it's only happened once in major championship history, according to Dylan Dethier of Golf.com. The PGA of America followed those guidelines for Thursday's opening round of the PGA Championship, telling the players Wednesday night there would be no preferred lies even though five inches of rain fell in Charlotte this week.
As a result, multiple balls picked up mud when hitting the fairway off the tee, forcing players to predict how they'd react in the air on their approaches. Two clear examples came from the super group involving Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Rory McIlroy.
Scheffler and Schauffele found the fairway in perfect spots on the long par-4 16th, but ended up hooking their approaches long and left into the water en route to matching double-bogeys. Both players touched on those shots after the round.
"It's one of those deals where it's frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it's going to go," Scheffler said, according to ASAP Sports. "I understand it's part of the game, but there's nothing more frustrating for a player.
"You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision, all of a sudden, you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes. But I don't make the rules. I just have to deal with the consequences of those rules."
Scheffler still posted a 2-under 69 on the day, while the defending champion Schauffele couldn't get much going and finished at 1-over. He, too, fielded questions about the conditions.
"Had a ridiculous mud ball there on 16 with Scottie. We were in the middle of the fairway, and I don't know, we had to aim right of the grandstands, probably. I'm not sure," Schauffele told reporters, according to ASAP Sports. "I aimed right of the bunker, and it whipped in the water, and Scottie whipped it in the water as well.
"It is what it is, and a lot of guys are dealing with it, but it's just unfortunate to be hitting good shots and to pay them off that way. It's kind of stupid."
Schauffele was quick to point out his group wasn't the only one affected.
"All of us. 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 super happy with sort of the conditions there," Schauffele said. "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 kind of 50/50 once you hit the fairway."
While there's virtually no rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, Schauffele expressed concern that the issue would only get worse as things dry out.
"The mud balls are going to get worse. That wasn't your question, but they're going to get worse as the (place) dries up," he said. "They're going to get in that perfect cake zone to where it's kind of muddy underneath and then picking up mud on the way through."