
USA Today via Reuters
Jul 24, 2021; Blaine, Minnesota, USA; Adam Hadwin hits from the 18th tee during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports. Image credit: Reuters

USA Today via Reuters
Jul 24, 2021; Blaine, Minnesota, USA; Adam Hadwin hits from the 18th tee during the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports. Image credit: Reuters
How to keep calm when something gets on your nerves? No, seriously, that’s a genuine question for every reader. If you have the answer, please share it with these PGA Tour pros who often face the consequences of losing their temper on the course. Sometimes they’re fined for a slip-up (remember when Collin Morikawa let an F-bomb slip after Hideki Matsuyama’s incredible eagle shot at the Sentry?), and sometimes, they’re fined for launching their clubs like they’re trying to qualify for NASA.
Yes, you read that right, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise. We’ve seen it all before in the PGA Tour, and most recently, at the Valspar Championship. Just ask Patton Kizzire, who punted his putter into orbit after missing a six-footer for par. Or Sahith Theegala, who took his frustration out on the turf with a club slam. And now, the latest name in the heat of the conversation is Adam Hadwin.
Hadwin, who is now out of the tournament after Friday’s round, pulled off something so hilariously unfortunate that even he couldn’t help but be embarrassed. In the second round of the Valspar Championship, after a frustrating Friday 76 left him at five over, someone in the crowd caught the moment when Hadwin took his wedge and slammed it into the ground. But here’s where golf karma had its moment: he accidentally hit a sprinkler head. Within seconds, water came shooting up in two directions.
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Adam Hadwin sprinkler smash 😤🏌️♂️ @jessicahadwin
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) March 22, 2025
Most people would’ve just walked away and pretended it didn’t happen. Not Hadwin. Nope. In a moment of sheer panic, he turned around and—this is where it gets downright hilarious—tried to stop the water by stepping on the sprinkler head. Spoiler alert: it didn’t work. So for a few awkward, drenched seconds, he stood there, realizing he had just secured a spot in golf blooper history.
Now, while we totally get his frustration, the PGA Tour might not be as amused. The Tour has a track record of handing out fines for on-course meltdowns, and Hadwin’s sprinkler slam could very well land him on that list. Since the Tour keeps its fines hush-hush (to protect player reputations, of course), we might never know the exact number, but if history is any indication, it won’t be pocket change.
And while Hadwin’s sprinkler saga is dominating headlines, there’s one thing we’re almost certain of—he’s about to pay up for his unexpected course renovation. How are we so sure? Well, because pros have faced this kind of “oops” moment before.
What’s your perspective on:
Did Adam Hadwin's sprinkler mishap deserve a fine, or was it just an innocent mistake?
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Rory McIlroy got fined by the PGA Tour for his on-course shenanigans
If history tells us anything, the PGA Tour doesn’t take too kindly to players getting a little too… expressive with their frustrations. Just ask Rory McIlroy.
Back in March 2015, McIlroy tossed his 3-iron into the water at Doral, earning himself a fine from the Tour. But here’s the kicker—he actually got a discount. In an interview with ESPN, he admitted, “The fine was reduced from $25,000 to $5,000 because I said I was sorry in the TV interview afterward.” Indeed, it was like getting rewarded for good manners.
Of course, McIlroy’s moment of rage wasn’t even the wildest club toss in golf history. That honor belongs to John Daly, who once helicoptered his 6-iron into Lake Michigan at the PGA Championship after carding a 10 on a par 3. Three balls in the water later, Daly figured his club might as well join them. A kid in a boat even fished it out—honestly, a legendary moment.
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Infact, Michael Kim has pointed out that players can get fined for things as small as not raking bunkers properly or failing to replace divots. So if those infractions cost money, breaking a sprinkler? Yeah, that’s definitely a problem.
Given these precedents, Hadwin’s sprinkler slam could very well result in a fine. The exact amount? Well, that depends on how the Tour views the damage and maybe if Hadwin gives a heartfelt apology on camera. But if McIlroy’s case is anything to go by, he might want to start practicing his “I’m sorry” speech now.
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Debate
Did Adam Hadwin's sprinkler mishap deserve a fine, or was it just an innocent mistake?