98th PGA Championship: Colt Knost unhappy over pin change at Baltusrol
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 29/07/16 6:57pm
American Colt Knost was furious with tournament officials after his bid for a first major title was hampered in bizarre circumstances in the PGA Championship.
Knost was in the first group out at 7am local time and began the day just four shots off the lead held by compatriot Jimmy Walker after carding an opening 69 at Baltusrol.
However, the 31-year-old and playing partners Joe Summerhays and Yuta Ikeda had not been informed that the pin position on the 10th hole - their first - had been changed from one side of the green to the other.
Knost and Ikeda both bogeyed the hole and although Knost birdied the 11th before play was suspended due to a waterlogged course, he was understandably less than pleased with the situation.
"PGA trying its hardest to trump the USGA," Knost wrote on Twitter, a possible reference to the USGA's much-criticised handling of Dustin Johnson's one-shot penalty in the final round of the US Open.
And when quizzed by reporters after signing his card, Knost said: "The pin sheet was 20 (yards) off. People are
going to say we should be able to tell what side of the green it's on, but I was 210 yards out and it was raining rather hard.
"We just expect the pin to be right. It said it was 21 (yards on) and four from the left and I played to the right side of the green because I had five wood in and so I had plenty of green to work with if I missed it.
"I missed it right and we get up there and it is 19 on and three from the right. It's a big deal and it shouldn't happen in tournaments like this - it shouldn't happen in any tournament.
"I called an official over and said, 'What's going on here' and he said, 'We messed up' and they went and told the group behind us and printed out a new one (pin sheet)."
Knost's group was met by PGA of America chief championships officer Kerry Haigh as they signed their cards and Knost added: "He apologised. They messed up and they're sorry. It affected one group and it was us.
"It sucks. I made bogey there and that could be the difference between me playing tomorrow or not. I hope it's not, but it will be pretty frustrating if it is."
And in response to Golf.com suggesting he was unhappy play was not suspended sooner in heavy rain, Knost replied: "Fine with playing. Not fine with them butchering the pin on 10 and playing it down [not having preferred lies]."
Pin positions on the eighth and 16th were also changed due to the bad weather, with a total of three different pin sheets given to players and caddies.
More than an inch of rain fell on Baltusrol overnight and further downpours on Friday morning forced play to be suspended at 8.15am local time, with the players remaining on the course while the excess water was cleared.
