In a way, the third time was the charm for Beau Hossler – well, not really, but kind of.
Hossler had given himself a chance to win the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday evening at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi. But he hooked his tee shot on the par-4 18th hole behind a tree, was denied two requests for a free relief, and despite ultimately being given such a relief after a similar drive in the play-off, fell to Kevin Yu, who birdied the first extra hole. for his first PGA Tour victory.
“The main positive is coming out in arms and performing,” Hossler said before adding, “I’m a little disappointed with the outcome. I’m a little salty now.”
Hossler was likely still frustrated by the events of the last regulatory hole. Having just birdied the par-4 17th hole and Yu birdied him, Hossler needed a closing birdie for the outright win, par to force a play-off. But he hooked his drive well to the left and saw his ball land about two feet behind a tree trunk.
Assessing his options – spoiler: he only had one – Hossler called over a rules official and suggested he was entitled to an exemption from TIO from the left stands and the scoreboard.
The only problem? That shot required an inhuman cut around the tree. And the official was having none of it.
Hossler, clearly miffed, argued his case several times:
“Don’t I get any relief if that’s between me and the pin, the stands and that scoreboard?”
“What if I told you I hit this right on the pin?”
“I’m hitting this right on the pin.”
“What if that tree is twenty meters in front of me, could I hit it?”
“Can you explain the rules to me?”
The official began explaining MLR F-23, which states that players “may take relief if the TIO is on the straight line between their ball and the hole,” but that no relief will be given if “the ball is played as he lies.” would be clearly unreasonable because of something from which the player is not allowed to take free relief (in Hossler’s case, the tree)” or “when there is interference only because the player chooses a club, type of stance or swing or direction of play that is appropriate in the circumstances clearly unreasonable (in Hossler’s case the wild slice around the left side of the tree).”
Hossler interjected, “I want a second opinion.”
That official also denied his request, so Hossler was forced to swing right and put up a 131-yard up-and-down to keep his winning hopes alive.
“There was just no realistic way Beau could ever hit a shot anywhere other than where he just did it,” said Golf Channel analyst Sam Saunders. “He was therefore not entitled to an exemption from those stands.”
Hossler responded, wedging to four feet and rolling in the par save, while his playing rival, Keith Mitchell, three-putted from 35 feet at the last spot and missed the play-off by a shot.
But Hossler wasn’t done with the statements yet. His drive at No. 18 in the play-off hit the left cart path and bounced to a similar spot in the rough to where he was a few minutes earlier. This time, however, Hossler was not behind a tree and this time he was entitled to a TIO exemption.
However, Hossler was not out of the woods yet. He still had to navigate some branches, and his low hook around them splashed into the front-left bunker of the green.
Yu found the green, converted his short birdie and ended Hossler’s run.
“Even though I didn’t have my best stuff on the back nine, I grinded really hard,” Hossler said. “Get some really quality shots under the gun, and that’s all you can do. Obviously, Kevin played a great hole in the playoff. … It definitely stings, but you have to tip your hat.”
