Like any savvy patient who gets a bad diagnosis, Sam Burns wanted a second opinion. When his drive on Oakmont’s par-4 15th hole stayed on the fairway next to the first cut, he seemed to catch a good break. But when Burns arrived at the ball, it looked and felt to him that it was sitting in standing water from the day’s earlier heavy rain storm.
Tied for the lead at one over at the time, Burns asked for an official to take a look. The verdict: There was not enough “temporary water”—the updated phrase used in the Rules of Golf—to allow Burns to take a drop. As noted in the rules, “It is not enough for the ground to be merely wet, muddy or soft or for the water to be momentarily visible as the player steps on the ground; an accumulation of water must remain present either before or after the stance is taken.”
Golf fans are demanding severe punishment for a player following a controversial incident at the 2025 US Open.
This year’s tournament at Oakmont Country Club has been one of the most challenging in recent memory, with its narrow fairways, punishing rough, and lightning-fast, heavily sloped greens giving even the world’s top golfers serious trouble.
Several big names, including last year’s champion Bryson DeChambeau (world no.10), Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, and Joaquin Niemann, all failed to make the cut. Among them was 2023 winner Wyndham Clark, whose behavior after another poor round has sparked widespread criticism online.
According to Tron Carter from NoLayingUp, Clark reacted poorly inside Oakmont’s famous clubhouse, allegedly damaging the locker room. Carter also shared a photo of the reported damage, which quickly drew strong reactions from fans.
One outraged fan demanded: “He should be banned from Oakmont.”
Another commented: “He should be suspended. This is ridiculous. The tour and the USGA must speak out strongly against club throwing, foul language, and the other outrageous behaviors that are becoming common in the professional game.”
A third added: “This is unacceptable in any setting. He’s a guest at Oakmont — you never act like this.”
A fourth fan called for harsher consequences: “He should be kicked off the PGA Tour for the rest of the year and permanently banned from Oakmont.”