The 2021 PGA Championship will forever be remembered for two reasons. First and foremost the remarkable performance by Phil Mickelson, who became the oldest major champion ever at age 50.
However, when Mickelson and Brooks Koepka were on the 18th hole, the 2021 PGA Championship will also forever be remembered for its lack of crowd control, which put the players at serious risk. At times the 18th hole looked more like the end of a College Football game in the United States with swarms of spectators in a very small space.
The fact that Koepka is speaking out about the scene is important. He stated that his knee, which he had surgery on this past March (and missed the Players Championship as a result), was “dinged a few times” as he tried to make his way to the green on the 18th hole. It should also be noted according to Koepka that his caddie Ricky Elliot was “drilled in the face,” and fans also made contact with Mickelson after his approach shot.
The PGA of America has subsequently apologized by the lack of security which put Mickelson, Koepka, and their caddies in a vulnerable position, according to the Associated Press. At this time the PGA got lucky. The situation could have been much worse. Seth Waugh, the Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of America has stated “that player safety is a chief goal.” However, there is no doubt more needs to be done in the future to protect the world’s best so what happened in South Carolina on Sunday never happens again.
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