U.S. Open 2019: Branden Grace plays impressive shot from hospitality tent

Though players are entitled to free relief from grandstands and hospitality areas, sometimes, it’s preferable to hit from the premium tight lie of a hospitality floor. At least that’s what Branden Grace would like you to believe.

On the 493-yard par-4 10th at the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Grace ripped his first drive of the day more than 293 yards — straight into the hospitality tent on the left side of the hole. It’s a pretty poor miss when you consider the layout of the hole.

Incredibly, he decided to play the ball where it ended up, which was right on top of the stairway that leads to the fans’ viewing area.

Approach shot from the hospitality area! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/owymU5JMOO

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 13, 2019

The commentary team was incredulous.

“He’s going to play it from here!” says FOX Sports’ Shane Bacon.

“This is so funny,” Brad Faxon responds. “He’s going to get ripped forever. All his buddies are going to know about this in a second.”

Grace had 244 yards left to the hole, and he opted to lay up — understandably so. Sixty-seven yards remained for his third shot, and Grace unfortunately went long. His ensuing pitch left him just over three feet for bogey, which he drained. A tough start to the round for the 31-year-old South African, to be sure.

Lest we forget, playing a shot from a hospitality tent at Pebble Beach is not without precedent. At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year, Tony Romo opted to play his approach from a tent on the par-4 15th hole, and he nearly holed it! Romo tapped in for an easy birdie. Unfortunately Grace was not so lucky.

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