LIV star called out after PGA Tour golfer delivers 'honest' interview

PGA Tour golfer Sahith Theegala drew praise from golf fans after he explained why he called a two-shot penalty on himself. 

Theegala was playing the third round of the Tour Championship at East Lake when the moment transpired. 

The 26-year-old was playing his second shot from the fairway bunker on the par-4 3rd hole when he thought that he had disturbed the sand during his backswing. 

Television footage was inconclusive, although the golfer has now admitted that he was 90% sure that he grounded his club inadvertently. 

"It was really tough to see," Theegala told reporters after watching the footage back. 

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He added: "So my version of it was I was in the bunker, took my backswing, and to give context, I through it in the bunker right on the lip; ball rolled up the lip and came back right on top of where it pitched. 

"So it was a very unusual lie. It was teed up in the sand. It was a really nice lie.

"So it was an unusual lie, and I usually pick up the club and take it back, but because of the lie, right on my backswing I felt like I moved a few grains of sand for sure. 

"In my peripheral, I thought I saw some of the sand move as I took my backswing.

"Immediately after I hit it -- I hit it, great contact, great shot, talked to Xander about it. I was like, hey, dude, I think I moved some sand while I hit that shot, and we thought that it was no big deal because there was no intent, didn't feel like -- it didn't actually change the lie at all.

"But unfortunately the rule is it doesn't matter the intent. If you change the lie in the direct area around the ball that could affect your swing, it is a two-shot penalty."

Theegala's mistake could prove extremely costly. 

He signed for a third round of 66, which left him five shots behind Collin Morikawa in second place heading into the final round. 

Scottie Scheffler looks almost certain to be crowned the 2024 FedEx Cup champion after he cultivated a five-shot lead after 54 holes. 

Theegala added: "At the end of the day, I've played so much golf. You kind of just trust your intuition and gut, and right away I thought I moved some sand there. 

"I'm in the 90s percent that I thought I moved some sand. I'd sleep a lot better if I saw some clear image of me moving the sand.

"I really think I did move the sand. It's just an unfortunate rule. 

"But what are you going to do, take the two shots on the chin and just roll with it."

Understandably, Theegala's honesty drew praise from golf fans worldwide. 

And perhaps unsurprisingly, former PGA Tour member Patrick Reed was at the receiving end of some barbs after he was famously docked shots at Tiger Woods' Hero World Challenge in 2019 for improving his lie in the waste area. 

Here's some comments:

"Honour and integrity. Well done."

"Dude is pure class."

"Honourable guy, shows his character for sure."

"The golf gods are gonna shine on him someday."

"How can you not love this guy?"

"This is the best part of the game, we all police ourselves. I love that list thing about golfer's intuition rarely being wrong."

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