There isn't a Saturday or Sunday golfer in Ireland that hasn't done what Zach Johnson has just managed at The Masters this afternoon.
Standing on the tee box at the iconic Azalea, the thirteenth hole of Augusta National, the 2007 champion sat at +2 and really needing to make some progress if he was to make the cut at the 83rd edition of golf's first major of the year.
The 510 yard par 5, however, can offer players the perfect opportuinty for relief on the final hole of the famed Amen Corner, and so the 43-year-old would have been pretty confident of his chances of making up for his bogey at the par-3 12th.
And then, this happened...
I looked up right as this happened. Just thought... been there. 🤦🏼♂️🤷♂️#zachjohnson #youcanlaugh #TheMasters #golf #practice pic.twitter.com/T8IGxtc7H6
— Christopher Rowe (@theycallmecrowe) April 12, 2019
For those of you who aren't necessarily golf fans, that wasn't supposed to happen. As Johnson steps forward to take his practice swing, he accidentally connects with the ball, sending it straight into the adjacent tee marker.
Sweet, merciful Jesus. That's shite-your-togs embarrassment right there, buddy. If that were me, I'd have been liable to walk straight from the course at that point.
Thankfully Johnson stuck around. After checking with fellow players Matt Kuchar and Ian Poulter, the American was able to amble over to the rather sad looking ball, pick it up and tee it up for a second time, taking no penalty in the process due to not having addressed the ball in an intentional manner.
Ladies and gentlemen, you have just witnessed the sport's biggest mulligan of all-time.
And you obviously know what happened next, right?
You guessed it, four shots and 510 yards later, Johnson sunk a birdie putt to take him to within one of level par.
Unfortunately for Johnson, his weekend prospects look slim after two consecutive bogeys on the final two holes of his round have left him looking very vulnerable at +3, with current leaders Francesco Molinari and Jason Day sharing the clubhouse lead at -7.
