Anthony Quayle nearly pulled off an incredible comeback at the Victorian PGA Championship, despite a big mistake early on.
During the first round, Quayle mistakenly thought preferred lies were allowed everywhere on the course after chatting with Tyler McCumber. This mix-up cost him seven strokes.
A note sent to all players said preferred lies were only for part of the third fairway, but Quayle misread it as applying to the entire course. He explained later that he assumed they were in place because past tournaments had similar rules.
Quayle’s Realization and Response:
On the 15th green, Quayle realized his error when McCumber asked about it again. Feeling awful, he called over Heath McLeod, who confirmed penalties for hitting from wrong spots three times and another penalty for replacing his ball incorrectly. Fans might think it’s impressive how quickly he owned up to his mistake.
McLeod praised Quayle’s honesty and quick action: “He took responsibility right away.” Despite this setback turning his initial score of 66 into a 73, Quayle remained determined.
Quayle saw this mishap as a challenge to overcome. He shot impressive rounds of 67 and 66 on Friday and Saturday, putting himself close to the leaders by Sunday.
Anthony Quayle mustering up the biggest comeback we've ever seen in golf 🔥#VicPGA
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia)
Reflecting on Thursday night’s events, Quayle decided to view it as a test: “Making the cut with such a penalty is something special,” he said. Although he finished two strokes short of winning after a final round of 69, it was still an amazing effort.
THIS close to forcing a playoff… #VicPGA
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia)
Cory Crawford won with 14-under while McCumber ended second after missing a playoff opportunity. For Quayle, finishing third marked significant progress considering his recent struggles in other tournaments. He shared: “I’ll be proud when I look back at this week.”
What do you think about Anthony’s journey?
