Rory McIlroy’s debated penalty drops made for an undebatable top storyline on Day 1 of the Players Championship. On our website alone you can read about what happened on those two holes, a further explanation of what happened on those two holes, and a column about how the uncomfortable situations could have been avoided. But Golf Channel took things to the next level with a reenactment. Sort of.
The network’s “Live From” show is a staple for golf fans during important tournaments and Thursday’s drama led to one of the wildest—and most entertaining—segments in the program’s history. With the sun setting on Thursday, Golf Channel analyst and former PGA Tour player Johnson Wagner went out to the seventh hole—the site of McIlroy’s second drop—and started throwing golf balls into the water.
RELATED: PGA Tour pro has 17th hole streak end, throws club in water on 18
The point of this exercise wasn’t just to show off Wagner’s arm strength, but to try to replicate the bounce McIlroy’s tee shot on the par 4 took before finding a watery grave. And Wagner—and the rest of the “Live From” crew—come away feeling good that McIlroy took the right drop. Have a look for yourself:
.@Johnson_Wagner re-creates the possible bounce Rory McIlroy's shot took that caused confusion on the 7th hole.
📺: Golf Channel & @peacock | #THEPLAYERS pic.twitter.com/hSWklCdOsT
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 14, 2024
“Well, I’d say the middle on, Johnson, but you do have a cannon for an arm,” Brandel Chamblee says in the clip. “You’re going to have to ice that baby down later.” Talk about going the extra mile to break down the action!
Fascinating stuff (even though we still don’t really know where Rory’s ball bounced), but imagine trying to explain this to a non-golf fan? In any event, Golf Twitter certainly got a kick out of it.
They're recreating the Rory shot on 7 while the event is still going on! Full Zapruder film treatment! I'm crying at Johnson Wagner out here throwing missiles straight into the ground! 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/HAHWFtRPhT
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) March 14, 2024
Imagine not loving golf.
Johnson Wagner casually throwing 93 mph heaters into the Earth trying to re-enact how Rory’s ball may have reacted before it found the water while explaining a rule.
Sidenote: nobody has a clue where Rory’s ball originally hit. pic.twitter.com/4S12VLZKEk
— Mark Harris (@itismarkharris) March 15, 2024
The Murder, by Louis Michel Eilshemius, early 20th century pic.twitter.com/Nc5RSd2cQC
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) March 15, 2024
.@johnson_wagner looking at the ground like https://t.co/vPTnuFzZL6 pic.twitter.com/fyIlILASq0
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) March 15, 2024
Fingers crossed for more TPC Sawgrass carnage—and reenactments—on Friday!
More From Golf Media Players 2024: With natural talent and diligent work, Smylie Kaufman finds his groove as on-course commentator
Instruction 2024 Players: The ‘awkward’ Jordan Spieth-Rory McIlroy rules confusion, explained for normal people
Players Championship Players 2024: Today’s Golf Twitter enemy? The ‘bumper’ at the 17th hole
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com