‘Something is behind my ball’: Wild ruling interrupts Xander Schauffele’s Olympic charge

After an impressive second-round 66 on Friday that catapulted Xander Schauffele to the top of the Olympic leaderboard, he was asked about the day’s play. His response was both insightful and a touch humorous: “A little bit of everything.”

 

Indeed, Schauffele’s round included a mix of experiences: nine pars, seven birdies, two bogeys, a series of excellent shots interspersed with a few less-than-ideal ones. However, one moment that stood out during his round was a rather unusual encounter with a colony of ants.

 

This unexpected episode occurred on the 13th fairway of Le Golf National, where Schauffele’s ball had come to rest in the rough. As he assessed his lie and took practice swings in the “fluffy grass,” he found himself puzzled by a disturbance. “I’m trying to get to my ball and I can’t even — what’s going on? Something is behind my ball,” Schauffele recounted. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that his ball was adjacent to an ant hill.

 

In his words, “I went down and saw a pile, so I called an official. It was just ants. It was a pile of ants, an ant pile, or whatever you want to call it, and their home. I didn’t want to mess with it. Couldn’t take relief. It’s a loose impediment.”

 

This situation led to an interesting discussion about the rules of golf, particularly concerning whether the ants could be classified as a “dangerous animal” under Rule 16.2, which would allow a player to seek relief. A reporter inquired whether the ants could be considered dangerous, potentially giving Schauffele grounds for relief. Schauffele’s response hinted at a past incident involving Bryson DeChambeau. In 2020, DeChambeau had famously requested relief from a group of fire ants during the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Classic. “Dangerous to some,” Schauffele said, presumably referencing DeChambeau’s encounter. “I didn’t feel too threatened by the ants. I don’t think they have fire ants. I’m not too sure to be completely honest.”

 

For context, fire ants have been reported in France, with their presence first noted in the South of France in 2022. However, it is uncertain whether they have spread to the greater Paris region where Le Golf National is situated. Despite this, Schauffele was cautious about making any incorrect decisions regarding the rules. When an official advised him that he could use his club to scrape away the sand behind his ball, Schauffele was wary and decided to seek a second opinion to ensure he was following the rules accurately. “My gut was like, ‘Oh, boy, am I really going to use my club, have it on film, and then talk to you guys after?’” he said. “I got a second opinion, and the guys said I could not move the grass but use my tee to move the ants.”

 

Ultimately, Schauffele chose to avoid interacting with the ant hill altogether. “I didn’t do anything, to be honest,” he said. He ended up making a difficult shot, advancing the ball just 50 yards down the fairway. This led to a challenging approach shot from 125 yards, which he was unable to convert into a birdie, resulting in his second bogey of the day.

 

Despite the minor setback, Schauffele showed resilience by birdieing the next hole, bringing him back to five under par for the round and 11 under par for the tournament. This performance positioned him at the top of the leaderboard, tied with Hideki Matsuyama and Tommy Fleetwood.

 

While Schauffele is not known for blowing things out of proportion, it’s possible that if he were to lose the tournament by a single stroke, he might look back on that ant hill with a touch of regret. However, his ability to stay focused and navigate the challenges of the day, including the surprising encounter with the ants, underscores his skill and composure on the course.