One of many US Open’s premier teams grinded to a halt throughout spherical one attributable to a weird scene, described as a “professional clown conference”.
Max Homa, Viktor Hovland and Bryson DeChambeau fashioned probably the most field workplace groupings at Pinehurst No.2 on Thursday (native time) — however it wasn’t all thrilling viewing.
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The group went viral for all of the improper causes when Homa and Hovland concurrently tried to learn their putts in comical style with DeChambeau watching on.
Each Homa and Hovland are college students of the controversial ‘Aimpoint’ technique of studying greens.
In a nut shell, Aimpoint entails feeling the slope of the inexperienced by standing behind your ball, closing one eye, and holding one, or a number of fingers, simply on the skin of the outlet.
The extra slope that’s felt, the extra fingers are held up. The outermost finger then provides the participant the ‘purpose level’ during which to hit their putt.
Whereas the strategy is, in principle, meant to be faster, Homa and Hovland made it something however.
The viral video exhibits Homa turning his again to the outlet and squatting twice to try to really feel what manner his putt is sloping.
On the similar time, Hovland stands on both facet of his put, then steps ahead to a second place and shuffles his ft.
The response from specialists who witnessed the scene was unkind.
Golf Digest’s Christopher Powers wrote: “Sorry to the aimpoint nerds however this can be a professional clown conference.
“I firmly imagine half the fellows that do that would putt higher by going with their very first learn and hitting the rattling factor.”
One other golf author, Gabby Herzig of The Athletic, additionally didn’t maintain again.
“I’ve been anti-AimPoint since my junior golf days when ladies would stomp throughout my line to learn their 4-foot putts.
“We’ve reached a brand new stage of shame. Actually what is going on right here.”
In the meantime, sports activities author Mark Harris added: “Think about the s**t you’d get in case you did something remotely much like Homa’s air dump transfer in your weekend sport.
“If you happen to can’t do it in entrance of the boys, you shouldn’t do it on (Tour).”
Initially revealed as ‘Legit clown conference’: US Open scene goes viral over ‘new stage of shame’
