At Glance
‣ A fan unexpectedly caught Brandt Snedeker’s tee shot at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, mistaking his golf ball for a moment more suited to a baseball or football game.
‣ The incident, while initially causing embarrassment and humor among the spectators and commentators, did not result in a penalty for Snedeker due to the Rules of Golf, Rule 11.1a, which states there is no penalty if a ball in motion accidentally hits any person or outside influence.
‣ Despite the mishap, Snedeker and his teammate Chez Reavie were able to continue their game without penalty, making par at the third hole and proceeding in the tournament, highlighting the importance of understanding and adhering to the Rules of Golf in unexpected situations.
You don’t see this every day…
A fan catches Brandt Snedeker’s tee shot on the 9th hole 😅.@PGATOURLIVE
— Jake Marsh (@PMTsportsbiz)
Imagine this: a fan at TPC Louisiana, not in the outfield of an MLB game or sprinting down as a Wide Receiver in the NFL, but at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He made a catch that, in any other context, might have been met with cheers. But here? It was a golf event, not exactly the place for such antics.
The whole thing kicked off with Brandt Snedeker. He was on the par-3 third hole, teeing off with Chez Reavie as his partner for the week. Snedeker’s shot veered right, way right, in what seemed like a desperate bid to avoid the water on the left. The wind, though? It wasn’t having any of it. Didn’t help at all. As the ball refused to curve back towards the green, cries of ‘Fore!’ echoed. Spectators along the 200-yard stretch perked up, all eyes tracking the flight.
Then, there was this one guy, totally zoned in. Too much, maybe. After the ball took a bounce off the path, he lunged to his left, snagged it with both hands, and then… oops. He dropped it, right there on the ground next to him. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Hand over mouth, a picture of horror. His buddies? They couldn’t contain their laughter, scattering in all directions, probably a mix of amusement and a dash of second-hand embarrassment.
You just don’t see this every day. A fan, catching Brandt Snedeker’s tee shot on the 9th hole, of all things. The PGA Tour Live commentators couldn’t help but find the humor in it. They speculated, amidst chuckles, that the fan must’ve been a baseball player at heart. Instincts took over, they said. He just forgot where he was.
“That’s a kid who plays a lot of baseball. He just forgot,” one commentator laughed. Another chimed in, “That poor guy! Can you imagine the guilt?” And the banter continued, “He’s probably thinking, ‘Why did I do that?’ Had his coach’s voice in his head, telling him to ‘get it! get it!'”
Luckily, no harm, no foul for Snedeker. The Rules of Golf are clear: Rule 11.1a lets him off the hook since the ball, still in motion when caught, accidentally hit a person. No penalty. They just played on from where the fan dropped the ball, which, honestly, might’ve saved them from a worse fate. The ball was headed for trouble.
Snedeker and Reavie? They managed to make par on the third, likely thanks to Reavie’s ball, and moved on. By the end of it, they were at the bottom of the leaderboard, but hey, they made it to the weekend rounds. And that fan? He got a story he’ll probably never live down.
