Over 200 penalties were caused by lava or lost ball circumstances at the Black Desert Championship last week.
Matt McCarty reigned victorious in Utah to win his first PGA Tour title and thus book his spot at next year’s Masters and PGA Championship.
The American shot a four-under-par 67 in his final round to finish on 23 under, labelling his victory as ‘a pretty surreal moment’. German Stephan Jager was forced to settle for second, with Kevin Streelman and Lucas Glover tied for third on 19 under.
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The inaugural competition proved to be a success in the eyes of many, though it was not without drama. The surrounding areas of the course caused plenty of drama as it is made up of old lava rock, creating a picturesque backdrop but numerous unplayable lies as well.
Black lava rock also flowed near most greens and fairways, and it took a while for players to get to grips with the out-of-the-ordinary test that the substance provided.
The lava presented a similar problem to water hazards, making shots somewhat unplayable once they had settled. In some circumstances, even a drop within two club lengths proved incredibly tricky, though it did help some stars get out of trouble.
As a result of the lava, PGA Tour officials were rushed off of their feet with the sheer volume of penalties.
According to Golf Digest, there was a combined total of 203 penalties caused by lava or lost ball circumstances during the four rounds. That figure does not include any water penalty drops.
There were 65 handed out in Round 1 of the competition and 56 in Round 2 whilst the total field was at 132. As the number of active players dropped, so did the volume of penalties. Thirty-three were handed out in Round 3 and a further 49 during the final round.
Those somewhat familiar with the course from the practice rounds knew the risks involved if they were unable to remain on the fairway and green.
Speaking about the course prior to his eventual victory, McCarty said: “Very uncomfortable golf course if you're off the fairway. You could be reloading. It's a tough place to have nerves on, and tomorrow will be no different for sure.”
