Kevin Na in tree trouble at LIV Golf Adelaide.
LIV Golf
On his LIV Golf profile web page, Kevin Na cites “2-footers” because the shot that provides him essentially the most trouble.
But within the last spherical of LIV’s occasion in Adelaide, Australia, on Sunday one other problem most vexed Na: restoration pictures from the timber.
If this story of woe sounds acquainted, that’s as a result of in 2011 Na signed for one of the stunning scores in PGA Tour historical past: a duodecuple-bogey 16 within the opening spherical of the Texas Open. Surely not all 16 of these strokes are burned in your — and even Na’s — reminiscence, however maybe a few them are: his back-to-back tee pictures into practically similar spots within the brush; his fourth shot, from the timber and vines, that hit him, costing him one other stroke; his eleventh swipe with which he lastly, mercifully extracted his ball from the woods. If you have been watching from house, you may need been doing so from behind a pillow.
To Na’s credit score, he took the episode in stride and good humor. Golf is tough, yadda, yadda. Later that yr, he received his first PGA Tour title, in his hometown of Vegas, and went on to turn into one of many Tour’s most constant gamers. Na, now 40, has racked up 5 Tour titles in all, 79 top-10 finishes and practically $38 million in profession earnings.
But in 2022, Na left that life behind when he signed with LIV Golf. More time at house together with his three youngsters appealed to him, Na mentioned, and so did the possibility to play workforce golf. Na didn’t point out the cash however that, in fact, was additionally a draw. Despite not ending within the high 30 of the person standings in LIV’s first two seasons, Na nonetheless pocketed practically $6.2 million to go together with no matter meaty signing bonus he had obtained. This yr has been higher for Na, however solely marginally. He is twenty fifth within the participant standings, however the workforce he captains, the Iron Heads, are in final place within the 13-team league.
How Kevin Na made a 16 on the 2011 Texas Open and nonetheless laughs about it
Nick Piastowski
But Down Under this previous weekend, issues have been lastly wanting up. On the eve of the third and last spherical, Na’s Iron Heads have been within the hunt, only one off the lead, powered by Na’s second-round seven-under 65. On Sunday, Na opened with a bogey 6 on the tenth gap (LIV’s format features a shotgun begin), however erased the sluggish begin with birdies at 12 and 18. Then he actually bought going, operating off 4 straight birdies from 5-8 to get to 5 beneath for the spherical with only one gap to play.
And then? Well, it wasn’t fairly the Texas Open bloodbath, however it wasn’t fairly, both.
After tugging his tee shot left of the green, Na discovered his ball in a sandy space and pinned in by timber. Worse but, his orb was sitting in a fan’s footprint.
“I’m so furious,” Na mentioned of his grim lie. “This is f—ing bull—-.”
To which Na’s caddie, Kenny Harms, mentioned, “Deep breaths.”
Na sized up a few shot choices however didn’t waste time enjoying, thumping an iron into the sand with the goal of splitting the timber and knocking his ball again into the green.
He was unsuccessful.
“F—ing bull—-,” Na mentioned once more earlier than slapping his bag in anger.
Na’s subsequent try, a seemingly extra manageable chip again to the green, fared no higher.
A number of beats after a fan mentioned, “One of us,” Na swung, however his ball hit a small signal and ricocheted again at him.
Seething, Na let just some seconds elapse earlier than enjoying his fourth shot — one other restoration chip that, this time, scurried out to the green with Na fast-walking after it.
The excellent news: Na would keep away from a duodecuple bogey. The unhealthy information: He nonetheless made a double that dropped him again to 3 beneath for the spherical. Na finally completed thirty fourth within the particular person occasion whereas his Iron Heads completed sixth.
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