Koepka gets no relief at Ryder Cup; saves par anyway

Updated Sep. 25, 2021 2:31 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) — The match was slipping away and Brooks Koepka's fragile wrist was at risk.

Ryder Cup officials didn't much care about any of that Saturday when they ruled against him, refusing to grant Koepka relief from an awkward lie near a drain on the 15th hole.

Koepka and his partner, Daniel Berger, argued with a pair of rules officials that a drain placed near a bunker to the right of the fairway would interfere with Koepka's downswing — an issue that put Koepka at increased risk because he has been dealing with a wrist injury.

Earlier this month,

“If I break my wrist, it's on (expletive) both of you," Koepka told the officials after the ruling was made.

According to Rule 16.1, free relief is allowed when an abnormal course condition, including immovable obstructions such as a drain, “physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing.”

would not grant relief because he said the drain did not interfere with Koepka's swing. Another official, Mark Litton, was called over and also refused relief for Koepka.

“Have you ever seen me hit a ball? Don't you think my club might hit right here?” Koepka argued, as he pointed at the drain tucked into the area near a bunker and situated a pace or two ahead of the ball.

After the ruling, Koepka chopped down on the ball and got it to the front of the green. He and Berger combined to two-putt and tie the hole. They went on to lose 3 and 1 to Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm.

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