PGA Tour Golfer Expresses Fear After Travelers Championship Protest Shocks Players
PGA Tour Golfer Expresses Fear After Travelers Championship Protest Shocks Players”
Scottie Scheffler’s 12th career PGA Tour victory wasn’t the only headline to emerge from the final round of the Travelers Championship on Sunday. Scheffler, along with his playing partners Tom Kim and Akshay Bhatia, encountered an unexpected interruption on the 18th green at TPC River Highlands when a group of environmental activists stormed the course.
The activists, identified as members of the climate activism group Extinction Rebellion, briefly halted play by spraying a paint-like substance on the green. The sudden intrusion left Bhatia, who finished tied for fifth and four shots behind Scheffler, feeling deeply unsettled.
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“I mean, I was scared for my life,” Bhatia admitted after the round. “I didn’t really know what was happening… all of a sudden four or five people come out running on the green.”
Bhatia, still visibly shaken, praised law enforcement for their prompt and effective response. “Thankfully cops were there and kept us safe,” he continued. “I was in shock and my heart rate was high. It got low and then once that kind of happened I was just freaked out, I just tried to get over where everyone was.”
The incident added an unexpected layer of drama to an already tense day. Scheffler, who finished the tournament at 22-under-par, secured his sixth win of the current PGA Tour season by defeating Tom Kim on the first playoff hole. However, the victory was somewhat overshadowed by the shocking protest and its impact on the players.
Scheffler and his fellow competitors managed to maintain their focus despite the disruption, but Bhatia’s candid comments highlight the genuine fear and confusion experienced by those on the green. The swift action of the police not only ensured the safety of the players but also allowed the tournament to conclude without further incident.
