Scott Langley Nails Ridiculous Cliffhanger Putt at the Memorial Tournament

You could reheat a slice of pizza in the time it took one of Scott Langley’s putts to drop at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday. 

The 25-year-old pro stroked a nearly perfect 10-foot putt on the 16th hole, with the ball seemingly coming to a rest on the very lip of the cup.

Brendan Porath of SB Nation spotted video of the cliffhanger, which shows Langley watching in agony as the ball teetered on the edge. He walked around the hole and chatted with playing partner Bubba Watson as it oscillated ever so subtly on the grass.

It’s unclear exactly what the two men said, but it appeared as though Watson told Langley to wait for the ball. The PGA rule in this matter is a simple one: Players aren’t allowed to hit a ball while it’s moving.

In this case, the movement was microscopic—minor shuddering over a few blades of putting green grass—but it made all the difference.

Porath writes that 23 seconds passed between the ball arriving at the edge of the hole and dropping: “Langley put this sliding putt right on the edge, watched, walked up, had a conversation with Bubba, and then let it oscillate into the cup. By my count, about 23 seconds passed from the moment it stopped at the edge and then finally fell.”

Somewhere further down the course, Bill Murray ran back to his shed.

The cliffhanger putt was the final bit of drama from Langley, who ended a strong three-day performance at Memorial by going five over on the first five holes of his final round.

Japanese pro Hideki Matsuyama went on to win the tournament, while Langley took 28th.

It’s all right, Langley. This putt taught you that patience is not only a virtue but also a direct factor in stroke count.

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