PGA Tour Pro Kizzire Punts Putter 40 Feet in Frustration, Withdraws from Valspar Championship
During the first round of the Valspar Championship, Patton Kizzire displayed an unusual outburst of frustration after missing a par putt on the par-3 15th hole. After running his 40-foot birdie attempt 5 feet past the hole and missing the comeback putt, Kizzire kicked his putter approximately 40 feet into the air.
The putter landed back on the green, but was visibly bent at the point of impact from Kizzire's kick. This forced him to use a wedge for his remaining putts during the round.
The incident came after a series of missed opportunities:
- Hole 10: Missed 17-foot par putt
- Hole 11: Missed 13-foot birdie putt
- Hole 12: Missed 3-foot birdie putt
- Hole 13: Missed 15-foot birdie putt
- Hole 14: Made 4-foot par putt
After the putter incident, Kizzire played just three more holes:
- Bogey on par-4 16th
- Par on par-3 17th
- Withdrew on par-5 18th after two shots
The PGA Tour communications team later cited a back injury as the reason for Kizzire's withdrawal. The three-time PGA Tour winner ended his tournament early, leaving both his round and his putter unfinished.
Unreal hang time on this putter punt 👏 pic.twitter.com/WuQvbfr0el