Is this shot fair? cunning? Leader explains epic luck

Use the rules to your advantage and then use the tournament infrastructure to your advantage. Ewen Ferguson, the overwhelming 36-hole leader at the Dubai Desert Classic, did both on Friday.

The 28-year-old Scot, who lives in the United Arab Emirates not far from the Emirates Golf Club, is used to playing on the empty 18th green. The 564-yard par 5 is a bit wonky, requiring less than a driver to round a dogleg and then hit long to the green, covering a water hazard. All this means is that you have to attack the sky, carry water and hope it lands softly.

Unless you play it at the Dubai Desert Classic. Then the 18th green has an emergency landing area that might help.

As one of the most popular events on the DP World Tour calendar, the Dubai Desert Classic does its best to get spectators as close to the finishing hole as possible… while also giving them some shade from the Middle Eastern heat. That doesn’t leave much room around the shared green on the 9th and 18th holes.

In the case of Friday’s second round, the hole location is deep on the green, just steps from the back edge and just a few steps from the rigid bleachers that surround the massive green. After leading by one shot, Ferguson hit his drive into the fairway, 243 yards from the hole.

But that was in the evening, and the breeze blew across his face, bringing a chill. Ferguson hit the club toward the 3-wood, lowered his grip a few inches, then swung hard and hit a chip shot. His ball soared across Dubai’s iconic skyline until it crashed into the stands behind the green. It was already the final stage of the second round, and only a handful of spectators were still listening. Of course not one saw it. But some have come very close to being hit.

Sky Sports broadcasters were baffled by what was happening. Did the ball hit the sprinkler head? Maybe if it didn’t fly that far. But the ball flew all the way into the stands, shattered enough to create an echo, then bounced back onto the green and rolled within five feet.

Did he intentionally hit the ball far because he knew he could get a favorable bounce in the stands? This behavior is known as “grandstanding” and occurs at professional tournaments around the world. If his ball gets stuck in the hoop, he gets a favorable toss.

It’s not the players’ fault that artificial backboards have been added to golf holes. But is this in the spirit of the game? Or is it just luck that makes these things happen? Some reaction samples on social media didn’t like how it turned out. But what does Ferguson think? He was asked about it after the round.

“A few players took advantage of the rebounds,” a reporter asked. “Is this what you’re here for today?”

“Honestly, a 7-wood or a 3-wood, in the wind,” he began, “and as it got later in the day and it got a little colder. I thought, you know, I’m just going to go back there, even if I have to get in The drop zone, I’ll splash it out as well.

“If I had a 15-footer on the last pitch, I’d be ok with it. Still have a good day, but a little bit of luck goes a long way. There’s enough in this game to get you excited, so It’s good to take a break.

Now, in the eyes of the all-powerful internet audience, does this absolve Ferguson of any culpability, or criminalize him? He openly admits to accepting the fate of any long shot, even if he has to play it low. Well, the only way he could hit the ball in the drop zone was to fly it into the stands. So his idea was not just that it would take too long; Mrs It had been on his mind for a long time.

But is he wrong to think so?

Again, there is no right answer here. At least none that can be regulated. What if he took a 7-wood instead, thinned it out, shot it low, skipped the green, and bounced back to a similar position? Remember how the reporter started asking questions: Some players have taken advantage of the rebound…

Ferguson is clearly not alone in thinking this way, which leaves us with a different final question: who What’s wrong with this? Does this have to happen at golf tournaments? Should players be punished? Should game officials plan pin locations? back Did they arrange a reception suite? What comes first?

The best answer we’ve seen to these tough questions comes from the R&A, which often has a stand on the 18th hole at Open Championships. They were able to do this and avoid scorn because the landing zones they drew near the greens were designed to be as brutal as possible. If you can hit the ball on a foot of grippy grass, you can easily shoot the ball into the stands. Be our guest.