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The opening round of the PGA Championship 2025 witnessed Scottie Scheffler visibly frustrated as the mud ball affected his play on Thursday. Not just him, even Xander Schauffele complained about the issue and called out the ruling.
A mud ball occurs when the fairways are wet, something that was the case for Scheffler on Thursday. Typically, one would expect to be rewarded for hitting a good drive onto the fairway, but due to the wet conditions, mud splashes onto the ball’s surface.
The problem arises when a player tries to hit a mud-covered ball. The added debris affects both the flight and direction of the shot, as the mud increases surface area and disrupts spin. The main issue lies in Rule 1.1 of the Rules of Golf, which states that a player must play the ball as it lies. As a result, players are not allowed to clean the ball and must play it with the mud still attached.
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The impact of the mud was evident during the first round of the PGA Championship when both Scheffler and Schauffele found the water on the 16th hole and went on to make double bogeys at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club.
What did Scottie Scheffler say about the mud ball at the PGA Championship 2025?
Following the first round, Scottie Scheffler was seen disappointed with the turn of events at the PGA Championship 2025. During his post-round interview, the World No. 1 golfer expressed his frustration.
"It's one of those deals where it's frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it's going to go," he said. "I understand it's part of the game, but there's nothing more frustrating for a player."
"You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes. But I don't make the rules. I just have to deal with the consequences of those rules," he added.
Scottie Scheffler also said that the 16th hole cost him two shots at the PGA Championship 2025, but added that it could have cost him three more if he had let it bother him.
The two-time major champion eventually carded a 69 and finished five strokes behind leader Jhonattan Vegas. For the uninitiated, Scheffler is seeking his first major win outside the Masters and his second victory of the season.
