John Senden broke his driver shaft mid-swing on Thursday, but it wasn’t the kind of shaft snap were used to seeing.
Senden’s shaft broke on his downswing — before impact — and it snapped just below his hands on the grip.
Check out the video below. Senden, who was teeing off on the 9th hole of the opening round of the Australian PGA Championship, said he jammed his finger during the bizarre incident, but fortunately it wasn’t enough to end his round.
“I had no chance of stopping the shot,” he said. “It actually spooked me a bit.”
Have you ever seen a driver snap mid-swing?
Well, now you have…#AusPGA pic.twitter.com/by0fpsMGcm
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 29, 2018
Here is another look in slow motion. Watch the shaft right below his hands.
Never seen anything like what just happened to John Senden in Australia. His shaft snapped inside his grip as he started his downswing. Lucky he didn't slice his hand open. And then a long rules discussion. pic.twitter.com/UamVAfviEG
— Wes (@taxmanwesman) November 29, 2018
OK, here’s where it got worse. According to the Rules of Golf, Senden had to count that swing as a shot since he intended to hit the ball. There was a lengthy discussion with officials that led to the ruling, and Geoff Ogilvy (below), one of Senden’s playing partners, was not happy Senden had to hit his second shot from the tee. (NSFW.) A portion of the rules discussion was regarding how Senden had to play his second shot. He was eventually told he could take his ball off the tee and drop it near that same spot to play his shot.
John Senden's driver snapped in the grip in his backswing. He missed the ball and stabbed himself with a jagged shaft. The rules official says the stroke counts. Geoff Ogilvy's reaction: pic.twitter.com/uGuAqnZjMa
— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) November 29, 2018
Senden was two under through eight holes but made a bogey 6 on the par-5 9th and shot 72. Jake McLeod and Matt Jager both shot 66 to take the first-round lead.
