Matt Fitzpatrick is not a fan of the tree on the 6th hole at TPC Sawgrass—like, not at all. The 2022 U.S. Open champion made that crystal clear during a practice round at The PLAYERS Championship, calling it the “dumbest tree” he had ever seen. And he wasn’t just venting to himself—his caddie, Billy Foster, was right there, equally baffled.

Now, why is this tree such a big deal? Well, the 6th hole at TPC Sawgrass has always been tricky, but this year, tournament officials decided to make it even trickier. They brought back an overhanging oak tree that was removed back in 2014, forcing players to shape their shots more carefully off the tee. Reason? At the highest level, golfers should be challenged mentally and physically. In short, no more easy bombs down the fairway—players now have to think their way through the hole.

Golf content creator Rick Golfs shared a clip of Fitzpatrick’s reaction on X, summing up the situation perfectly: “This is the dumbest tree I’ve ever seen,” an annoyed Fitzpatrick said. golfer said. Fitzpatrick didn’t need much convincing to double down. The second he stepped onto the tee, he took one look and said what he said. The Englishman has never been shy about sharing his thoughts on course design, and honestly, that’s part of what makes him entertaining. A few minutes later, after roasting a stinger driver, he walked off and threw in another jab: “If someone could remove it, that would be great.”

Now, this tree wasn’t just plopped there to frustrate Fitzpatrick—it was actually part of Pete Dye’s original design. It had been a defining feature of the hole before its removal, and officials wanted to bring back that challenge. But for Fitzpatrick and others, it’s just another obstacle on an already brutal course.

To make matters worse, his Thursday round was rough. Fitzpatrick carded a 6-over 78 in Round 1, which left him in danger of missing the cut. He opened his round with a bogey, then doubled the par-4 10th, and things didn’t get much better from there. A pair of double bogeys on the closing stretch sealed a disastrous day. He then shot 72 on Friday to miss the cut. 

Matt Fitzpatrick’s 2025 season? Yeah, it’s not exactly a dream run. He kicked things off with a T24 at the Sentry, which wasn’t bad. But then came a T48 at AT&T, a missed cut at the Phoenix Open, and a 49th-place finish at the Genesis Invitational. Now, a missed at the TPC Sawgrass. But instead of quietly moving on, he had some strong opinions about a tree on the 6th hole. Fans, however, are having none of it.

Golf fans call out Fitzpatrick for whining over a tree

One fan summed up the situation perfectly—golf is about adaptability. “+6 he lost before he started by looks of it, whinging about having to play a low shot and control traj, this tree adds and forces players to have the low tee shot in their locker, its a good tree, im all for the tree.”

The return of the tree forces players to shape their shots, something Fitzpatrick didn’t seem too thrilled about. Another fan didn’t hold back on his missed cut either: “Ha he wont have to worry about seeing it this weekend!”

With Fitzpatrick’s season already off to a rocky start, it’s no surprise that fans aren’t feeling too sympathetic. Another user chimed in, saying, “Complaining about the tree is as nonsensical as complaining about the placement of water or sand that happened to be exactly where you’d like to hit your shot. Golf is all about adjusting to the course and the weather. Whine if you must but you get nowhere.”

And that’s exactly the point. Contact with the tree isn’t even the issue—it’s all about shot trajectory. The average apex of PGA Tour tee shots is over 100 feet, but on Thursday, the overhanging branches forced players to adjust, dropping that number into the 60s. Some even played stinger drivers that barely got 45 feet off the ground. The tree isn’t just in the way—it’s making players think. And if others could adjust, why couldn’t Fitzpatrick?”

One fan put it bluntly: “I agree 100% not everything is gonna be perfect these guys are so annoying.” And then came the ultimate roast: “Miserable Matt would complain about winning the lottery.”

To be fair, Fitzpatrick has had his fair share of complaints before. He previously criticized the 2023 U.S. Open course at LACC, calling it “not my cup of tea” due to blind tee shots and sloping fairways. So, this isn’t exactly new behavior. At the end of the day, the tree’s not going anywhere—but Fitzpatrick? He’s already gone out of the field this year.