Over the last few years, the Scottish Open has become an increasingly important golf event on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.
The tournament is the final one before The Open, with many of the world's top players use the event to acclimatise themselves to links golf before the last major of the season. As a result, the fields on display have become increasingly strong in recent times.
Of course, for many of the PGA Tour regulars who take part, they are faced with a completely different challenge to what they are used to. Links golf certainly provides a very different test to what is usually on offer in the USA, as one American golfer found out this morning.
Golf: American player criticised for actions at Scottish Open
Sam Burns is among the PGA Tour players to take part at the Scottish Open this week, with the 26-year old performing well over the first 45 holes or so.
However, he became quickly familiar with the perils of links golf on the 9th hole in today's third round.
Having found the bunker from his tee shot on the par-5, Burns would attempt to play the ball over the top of the steep face of the sand trap for his second shot. However, he did not get enough loft in the shot, with the ball sticking to the face of the bunker.
How has @Samburns66 ball stayed there...? 🤯#GenesisScottishOpen | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/oVclPek8nG
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 15, 2023
Whereas European players might be a bit more accustomed to this type of situation, Burns was clearly unsure what to do next.
He called in the referee to query if he would be entitled to a drop due to the ball being interfered with by the seams of the bunker face. After a consultation period that took way longer than it should have, he was eventually told to play it as it lied.
Sam Burns drilled a bunker shot into the face, then the ball squeaked out and somehow defied gravity.
Rules officials determined his shot would not be interfered with one of the "seams" of sod that make the face. No relief given!
Burns was then Motumbo'd back into the bunker. pic.twitter.com/H207VSo4iO— Sean Zak (@Sean_Zak) July 15, 2023
Burns would play his next shot straight into the face of the sand trap, rebounding into the bunker behind him.
After then playing a short shot out of the bunker back onto the fairway, he would eventually card a triple-bogey score of eight on the par-5.
Sam Burns' reaction to the incident caused quite a debate online. Quite a few people criticised the world no. 17 for attempting to get a ruling to bail him out from a situation that his own poor play had gotten him into.
If Sam Burns gets a drop here the game's gone
— Dara (@DaraPounding50) July 15, 2023
Sam Burns is officially my least favorite player. After 30 minutes holding up the course you should have some shame and accept the draw.
— 🧙♂️ (@GandalfsBookie) July 15, 2023
If Sam burns gets a free drop,medal rounds on this coastline are going to get interesting 😂😂😂😂
He doesn’t get relief from that— KY (@Kennzo7) July 15, 2023
minute 13 of watching sam burns & co stare at his golf ball in this face of a pot bunker pic.twitter.com/FTMnSB1qq2
— Matt Gannon (@matt_gannon_) July 15, 2023
Sam Burns currently holding up play for no good reason. Straightforward ruling should have been made almost immediately #getonwithityouplonker
— John Huggan (@johnhuggan) July 15, 2023
Welcome to links golf and real bunkers Sam Burns
— Andrew Kirby (@AndrewKirbyGolf) July 15, 2023
Glad I made sure to get up to watch rules officials go back and forth about Sam Burns getting relief from rectangular pieces of sod in a pot bunker.
— Pat James (@PatJamesDFS) July 15, 2023
Apparently now if you hit into the face of a bunker you ask for and get relief #Samburns
Who would have thought 🙄
The rest of us having been getting on and playing it or taking an unplayable— Andrew Kirby (@AndrewKirbyGolf) July 15, 2023
There have been some low scores at the Scottish Open this week, but this incident was a timely remainder of the way links golf can quickly punish errors.
Sam Burns will certainly take more care over his bunker shots in the coming weeks.
SEE ALSO: Padraig Harrington Is Not Shying Away From Ryder Cup Hype After Impressing In Scotland
