CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Six people protesting climate change stormed the 18th green while the leaders were lining up their putts on the final hole of regulation at the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship on Sunday, delaying the finish for about five minutes.
The protesters sprayed white and red powder, leaving stains on the grass before Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim and Akshay Bhatia finished their rounds. At least one member of the group was wearing a white T-shirt with the words “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET” in black lettering on the front.
“I was scared for my life,” Bhatia said after finishing in a tie for fifth — four strokes behind Scheffler, who earned his sixth victory of the year. “I didn’t even really know what was happening. … But thankfully the cops were there and kept us safe, because that’s, you know, that’s just weird stuff.”
After the protesters were tackled by police and taken off, Scheffler left a potential 26-foot clincher from the fringe on the right edge of the cup, then tapped in for par. Kim, who trailed by one stroke heading into the final hole, sank a 10-foot birdie putt to tie Scheffler and send the tournament to a sudden-death playoff.
Kim said the protest took his mind off the pressure.
“It kind of slowed things down,” he said. “It took the meaning of the putt away for a second. Because for the past 17 and a half holes all you’re thinking about is golf, and suddenly when that happens your mind goes into a complete — like, you’re almost not even playing golf anymore. I thought it was a dream for a second.”
The crowd surrounding the 18th green heckled the protesters by yelling profanities and cheered the police who intervened.
After the players putted out in regulation, workers with leaf blowers came out to clean off the remaining powder, and the hole location was moved for the playoff, which began on No. 18. Scheffler beat Kim with a par on the first playoff hole.
“They left a lot of marks on the greens, which is not right for us players — especially when two guys are trying to win a golf tournament,” Kim said. “But I’m very grateful for the tour and the tour security for handling that really well and making us players feel a lot safer.”
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