A Surprising Twist at The American Express Tournament

At the Pete Dye Stadium Course in La Quinta, California, during The American Express tournament, a remarkable incident took place on the par-5 16th hole. Golfer Adam Schenk’s approach shot veered off course and headed towards a group of small rolling hills that seemed to spell disaster.

Meanwhile, sitting calmly in his fold-up chair about 260 yards away was Brad Harmeyer. Little did he know that his day was about to take an unexpected turn. As he felt a gentle impact on his chest followed by the sound of a splash, Harmeyer looked down to find a white golf ball floating in his vodka cranberry cocktail with a twist.

Fortunately, Harmeyer remained unharmed and only suffered minimal spillage of his drink. In an act of good humor and sportsmanship, he raised his glass and decided to take a sip before approaching an apologetic Schenk. After signing the ball as proof of their unique encounter, Schenk presented it as a keepsake for Harmeyer.

“I owe you a drink… I’m very sorry,” expressed Schenk sincerely according to the PGA Tour footage shared on X.

Harmeyer graciously dismissed any need for apologies from the golfer. He even predicted that due to receiving free relief for the wayward shot landing in his drink, Schenk would have an advantageous position for his next attempt. True enough, as predicted by Harmeyer himself – ranked No. 48 globally – Schenk skillfully chipped onto the green and impressively sank a 10-foot putt for a birdie.

Unfortunately, Schenk’s first-round progress was short-lived as he stumbled with a double bogey on the following hole. He concluded the day tied-98th after finishing with an overall score of two-under 70.

This setback placed the 31-year-old golfer eight shots behind the leading duo, fellow countryman Zach Johnson and Sweden’s Alex Noren. Johnson, aged 47, previously captained Team USA during their disappointing Ryder Cup defeat in Rome last year. Now back on familiar grounds of the PGA Tour, he feels grateful for a return to normalcy.

“I’ve been putting in some solid work lately,” shared Johnson confidently with reporters after his round.
“Finally able to focus purely on golf again after dealing with last year’s responsibilities. It has been fantastic.”

A twelve-time winner on the PGA Tour, Johnson is determined to maintain his steady performance and continue moving forward throughout The American Express tournament.