Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Golfers on the PGA Tour usually have a better time controlling their temper on the course compared to the average amateur. With that said, there are exceptions to that rule—including the one Patton Kizzire treated us to when he punted his putter across the green prior to rage-quitting in the middle of a tournament.
Former MLB manager Jim Leyland once played a round of golf with Arnold Palmer where the legend gave him what he says was “the best advice I ever had” after he hit a bad shot: “You’re not good enough to get mad.”
That adage is an invaluable one to keep in mind if you’re one of the many golfers who’ve grappled with anger issues on the course.
Most people who hit the links on a regular basis know what it’s like to want to chuck a club into the woods after a bad shot or throw your entire bag into the nearest pond following a rough round, but there’s no real reason to throw a temper tantrum when you don’t possess the kind of skills you need to play golf for a living.
Guys on the PGA Tour do exactly that, and most of them have mastered the art of keeping their composure in the face of adversity despite the pressure they’re dealing with when they play in a tournament.
However, some of the best players on the planet can’t resist the urge to absolutely snap every now and then.
Patton Kizzire has been playing professional golf since 2008 and joined the PGA Tour in 2016, and he’s racked up three wins and more than $13 million on the circuit.
However, the 2025 season has not been kind to the Auburn grad who missed the cut at all six of the tournaments he played in before heading to the Copperhead Course in Florida for this week’s Valspar Championship.
Kizzire started his opening round on Thursday on the back nine and was sitting at +1 prior to teeing off on the 204-yard par-3 15th after failing to capitalize on a few makeable birdie putts (including a three-footer on the 12th).
He had the chance to sink an eight-foot putt for par on the 15th after missing a 40-footer only to see it go past the hole, and he took out his frustration on the putter he punted across the green before it landed sporting the bent shaft that forced him to pull out a wedge to successfully convert the bogey attempt.
Kizzire had to use the wedge to put for the next two holes before his round—and his tournament—came to a premature end, as he withdrew after making par on the 17th to remain at +3 while citing a back injury.