Luke Potter incident - U of Texas golfer who heckled Rory

[Golfquant]

I thought about this a bit, and while he's "young" and you want to be sympathetic to college kids doing dumb stuff, it was an incredibly foolish thing to do at a place like The Players @ TPC Sawgrass, where so many pros train and right next door to the HQ of the PGA Tour

 

almost everyone who is anyone in pro golf in the US could and probably is there this week

[03trdblack]

While not completely giving the kid a pass, Rory just showed how soft he and other professional golfers are. If Rory really wanted to make a point he would have completely ignored it and not given the kid the satisfaction of knowing he got in his head. 

 

Imagine a golfer dealing with an atmosphere like Cameron Indoor Stadium! 

 

Now Rory has people yelling "Give me back my phone" at him 🤦

[Llortamaisey]

I’m going to give him a pass. First off, it was a practice round, we talkin’ about practice? Here we are talkin’ about practice. As someone who played on a college golf team, we said this type of stuff to each other everyday on the course, especially in practice rounds. Frankly, what Potter said was rather tame.
 

And Rory didn’t play on a college team, so he probably never learned how to deal with it, so he gets a pass too. Rory should have fired back at Potter with a “yeah, that shot looked like your two years at ASU.” What I don’t understand is why did Rory take the phone away from the other kid and not Potter’s phone? To my knowledge the other kid didn’t say anything like Potter did and he caught a stray. You’re going to punish the NPC because he filmed the shot and was posting it to tic tac? Doesn’t make sense to me. Rory should have taken Potter’s phone instead and tossed it in the lake, with a “choke on that baby!”
 

But the best way to shut people up isn’t a code of conduct on the back of a ticket, or to clap back, it’s to play better. At the end of the day, the situation is much ado about nothing on a slow media day that has blown up more than it should have. Thank goodness that my teammates and I played before iphones, before social media, and during the time camera phones took pictures that looked like sandpaper. 

[MahalNeneng]

Potter doing what Potter does. 
love the spin he gave for leaving ASU almost believable. 
real lesson here is that Fields has had to apologize for Potter and Texas multiple times to multiple outlets. every time it recycles UT gets punched. 
took the opportunity to drive the pint home with the boy, his reply was Potter going back to the portal and might end up with him. 

[MahalNeneng]

14 minutes ago, Llortamaisey said:

I’m going to give him a pass. First off, it was a practice round, we talkin’ about practice? Here we are talkin’ about practice. As someone who played on a college golf team, we said this type of stuff to each other everyday on the course, especially in practice rounds. Frankly, what Potter said was rather tame.
 

And Rory didn’t play on a college team, so he probably never learned how to deal with it, so he gets a pass too. Rory should have fired back at Potter with a “yeah, that shot looked like your two years at ASU.” What I don’t understand is why did Rory take the phone away from the other kid and not Potter’s phone? To my knowledge the other kid didn’t say anything like Potter did and he caught a stray. You’re going to punish the NPC because he filmed the shot and was posting it to tic tac? Doesn’t make sense to me. Rory should have taken Potter’s phone instead and tossed it in the lake, with a “choke on that baby!”
 

But the best way to shut people up isn’t a code of conduct on the back of a ticket, or to clap back, it’s to play better. At the end of the day, the situation is much ado about nothing on a slow media day that has blown up more than it should have. Thank goodness that my teammates and I played before iphones, before social media, and during the time camera phones took pictures that looked like sandpaper. 

Im gonna guess there was a recording, Rory said something? And promptly deleted it?

[Golfquant]

7 minutes ago, Llortamaisey said:

I’m going to give him a pass. First off, it was a practice round, we talkin’ about practice? Here we are talkin’ about practice. As someone who played on a college golf team, we said this type of stuff to each other everyday on the course, especially in practice rounds. Frankly, what Potter said was rather tame.
 

And Rory didn’t play on a college team, so he probably never learned how to deal with it, so he gets a pass too. Rory should have fired back at Potter with a “yeah, that shot looked like your two years at ASU.” What I don’t understand is why did Rory take the phone away from the other kid and not Potter’s phone? To my knowledge the other kid didn’t say anything like Potter did and he caught a stray. You’re going to punish the NPC because he filmed the shot and was posting it to tic tac? Doesn’t make sense to me. Rory should have taken Potter’s phone instead and tossed it in the lake, with a “choke on that baby!”
 

But the best way to shut people up isn’t a code of conduct on the back of a ticket, or to clap back, it’s to play better. At the end of the day, the situation is much ado about nothing on a slow media day that has blown up more than it should have. Thank goodness that my teammates and I played before iphones, before social media, and during the time camera phones took pictures that looked like sandpaper. 

I think it was a very foolish move for a college player who will (hopefully?) imminently be playing on a professional golf tour

 

he intentionally said it loud enough so that Rory would hear it, which clearly speaks to his intent and character

 

[MahalNeneng]

4 minutes ago, Golfquant said:

I think it was a very foolish move for a college player who will (hopefully?) imminently be playing on a professional golf tour

 

he intentionally said it loud enough so that Rory would hear it, which clearly speaks to his intent and character

 

As the kids would say “Facts”

[Golfquant]

1 hour ago, Llortamaisey said:

I’m going to give him a pass. First off, it was a practice round, we talkin’ about practice? Here we are talkin’ about practice. As someone who played on a college golf team, we said this type of stuff to each other everyday on the course, especially in practice rounds. Frankly, what Potter said was rather tame.
 

And Rory didn’t play on a college team, so he probably never learned how to deal with it, so he gets a pass too. Rory should have fired back at Potter with a “yeah, that shot looked like your two years at ASU.” What I don’t understand is why did Rory take the phone away from the other kid and not Potter’s phone? To my knowledge the other kid didn’t say anything like Potter did and he caught a stray. You’re going to punish the NPC because he filmed the shot and was posting it to tic tac? Doesn’t make sense to me. Rory should have taken Potter’s phone instead and tossed it in the lake, with a “choke on that baby!”
 

But the best way to shut people up isn’t a code of conduct on the back of a ticket, or to clap back, it’s to play better. At the end of the day, the situation is much ado about nothing on a slow media day that has blown up more than it should have. Thank goodness that my teammates and I played before iphones, before social media, and during the time camera phones took pictures that looked like sandpaper. 

ok

 

wrt what I posted...if you are a hopeful PGA Tour U recipient of a professional Tour exemption, do you think this is a prudent (let alone wise?) thing to do?

 

I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt...but if anything remotely similar happens again it seems like he might not have been properly "trained"

[596]

Sounds like to me he wanted publicity.  Now everyone knows his name, views his video, visits his Instagram account, etc. Does this make him an "influencer" now?

[BigBlue7]

LIV offer incoming

[Hawkeye77]

It was stupid and already discussed to death in the tournament thread - why draw more attention to it?  

 

Seriously, you're asking whether it was "prudent"? As if that's a real question? Come on.

 

It was stupid, there's no pass or "benefit of the doubt" or, lol., blaming his parents? He's not a dog to be trained and knows how to behave on a golf course, if he doesn't anywhere else.

[LongNwrong27]

1 hour ago, Llortamaisey said:

I’m going to give him a pass. First off, it was a practice round, we talkin’ about practice? Here we are talkin’ about practice. As someone who played on a college golf team, we said this type of stuff to each other everyday on the course, especially in practice rounds. Frankly, what Potter said was rather tame.
 

And Rory didn’t play on a college team, so he probably never learned how to deal with it, so he gets a pass too. Rory should have fired back at Potter with a “yeah, that shot looked like your two years at ASU.” What I don’t understand is why did Rory take the phone away from the other kid and not Potter’s phone? To my knowledge the other kid didn’t say anything like Potter did and he caught a stray. You’re going to punish the NPC because he filmed the shot and was posting it to tic tac? Doesn’t make sense to me. Rory should have taken Potter’s phone instead and tossed it in the lake, with a “choke on that baby!”
 

But the best way to shut people up isn’t a code of conduct on the back of a ticket, or to clap back, it’s to play better. At the end of the day, the situation is much ado about nothing on a slow media day that has blown up more than it should have. Thank goodness that my teammates and I played before iphones, before social media, and during the time camera phones took pictures that looked like sandpaper. 

? Rory probably had no idea who the kid is. He’s obviously a good college player but I doubt Rory is pouring over WAGR rankings.

 

I’m pretty sure Rory has done and experienced his share of trash talking, he has played in numerous ryder cups. 
 

Ya it’s weird and annoying to heckle someone but Rory’s response is also  strange and even stranger how he handled it in the news conference. 
 

both in the wrong 

[Shilgy]

4 hours ago, BigBlue7 said:

LIV offer incoming

Good, they can have him.

[caniac6]

The guy shouldn’t have said anything, but Rory should have just walked down the fairway.  He seems to be turning into a bit of an unlikable guy. He’s going to get roasted at Bethpage. I wonder if Arnie ever allowed a fan to get under his skin. Sometimes I feel like the old guys appreciated the fans coming out to watch, and some of the new guys feel the fans are lucky to see them.

Edited March 15 by caniac6

[Puttersaurus Rex]

23 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

I wonder if Arnie ever allowed a fan to get under his skin. Sometimes I feel like the old guys appreciated the fans coming out to watch, and some of the new guys feel the fans are lucky to see them.

🙄  Not a good analogy.

 

Did fans heckle back when Arnie was playing?  Even if someone did, I am sure Arnie could have handled it in the parking lot.

 

There was no social media back then, and people had manners over "look at me...baba booey" behavior.

[caniac6]

2 minutes ago, Puttersaurus Rex said:

🙄  Not a good analogy.

 

Did fans heckle back when Arnie was playing?  Even if someone did, I am sure Arnie could have handled it in the parking lot.

 

There was no social media back then, and people had manners over "look at me...baba booey" behavior.

I agree with you about today’s behavior, but I think that ignoring these knuckleheads is the best way to handle it. If guys know they get to a player, they are going to keep at it. Alcohol and legal betting probably isn’t helping things. I just wonder if letting a security person handle the situation isn’t the best way to go?

[Puttersaurus Rex]

4 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

I agree with you about today’s behavior, but I think that ignoring these knuckleheads is the best way to handle it. If guys know they get to a player, they are going to keep at it. Alcohol and legal betting probably isn’t helping things. I just wonder if letting a security person handle the situation isn’t the best way to go?

this 100%

[Hawkeye77]

1 hour ago, Puttersaurus Rex said:

🙄  Not a good analogy.

 

Did fans heckle back when Arnie was playing?  Even if someone did, I am sure Arnie could have handled it in the parking lot.

 

There was no social media back then, and people had manners over "look at me...baba booey" behavior.

 

I'm guessing not like today at all, BUT the stories of the fan abuse heaped on Nicklaus at Oakmont in '62 when he beat Palmer in the U.S. Open are legend.  Even I remember when the John 3:16 guy was as "loud" as anyone noticed when watching on tv until the idiots started saying, "You the man", haha.  

[Hawkeye77]

1 hour ago, caniac6 said:

I agree with you about today’s behavior, but I think that ignoring these knuckleheads is the best way to handle it. If guys know they get to a player, they are going to keep at it. Alcohol and legal betting probably isn’t helping things. I just wonder if letting a security person handle the situation isn’t the best way to go?

I got a chuckle out of the incident, but I agree - let the security person know to take the guy out (okay, that doesn't quite sound right, lol) and don't engage - no doubt Rory thought he was teaching a lesson, but sure, just motion to security and walk on.

[caniac6]

3 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

I'm guessing not like today at all, BUT the stories of the fan abuse heaped on Nicklaus at Oakmont in '62 when he beat Palmer in the U.S. Open are legend.  Even I remember when the John 3:16 guy was as "loud" as anyone noticed when watching on tv until the idiots started saying, "You the man", haha.  

Birdman, and the way Mike Davis grabbed him was the absolute classic.

[Strategery]

12 hours ago, MahalNeneng said:

Potter doing what Potter does. 
love the spin he gave for leaving ASU almost believable. 
real lesson here is that Fields has had to apologize for Potter and Texas multiple times to multiple outlets. every time it recycles UT gets punched. 
took the opportunity to drive the pint home with the boy, his reply was Potter going back to the portal and might end up with him. 

[Strategery]

It was a really bad look for Rory and the PGA. Rory comes off as unprofessional and a petulant child. This type of player interaction with spectators should incur a serious fine.

It's like poking the bear; think Montgomery.

 

It is so much better to ignore and be above it. Just like road rage.

[wegobomber31]

Poor Jack Gilbert still wondering why Rory took his phone. 

[leezer99]

Fields needs to retire if he can’t keep his boys in line. In fact there are a bunch of old coaches that should hang it up. 

[Strategery]

9 minutes ago, leezer99 said:

Fields needs to retire if he can’t keep his boys in line. In fact there are a bunch of old coaches that should hang it up. 

What's a fields?

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

5 minutes ago, Strategery said:

What's a fields?

https://texaslonghorns.com/sports/mens-golf/roster/coaches/john-fields/3336

 

Seemed obvious from the context.

[wegobomber31]

23 hours ago, MahalNeneng said:

Potter doing what Potter does. 
love the spin he gave for leaving ASU almost believable. 
real lesson here is that Fields has had to apologize for Potter and Texas multiple times to multiple outlets. every time it recycles UT gets punched. 
took the opportunity to drive the pint home with the boy, his reply was Potter going back to the portal and might end up with him. 

Potter playing number one at Pauma Valley tournament starting tomorrow. 

https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/233225/scoring/participants

 

[Golfquant]

1 hour ago, wegobomber31 said:

Potter playing number one at Pauma Valley tournament starting tomorrow. 

https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/233225/scoring/participants

 

sends a strong message

 

I guess now with the portal, players are above coaches

[wegobomber31]

11 hours ago, leezer99 said:

Fields needs to retire if he can’t keep his boys in line. In fact there are a bunch of old coaches that should hang it up. 

With everybody coming back from a top 5 team, there’s no way Fields is retiring until after next year at the earliest. I could see him riding off into the sunset after Big Tommy and Maas graduate. 

[caniac6]

This was a smart aleck comment made by a college kid during a practice round, and he apologized. Rory should probably have given him a dirty look, and kept walking. I really think this is getting blown out of proportion. The kid should have kept his mouth shut, but this would not even be a story if Rory didn’t react.