Mito Pereira leads the 2022 PGA Championship through Saturday afternoon, but a free drop has been a source of controversy amongst announcers and fans.

On the ninth hole, Pereira hit a tee shot that drifted left into the rough area of the crosswalk, which fans traverse through for the event.

The Chilean was granted a free drop, which allowed him to drop in the fairway, and it’s fair to say not everyone was pleased with the ruling.

On Sky Sports, on-course announcer Wayne Riley described the decision as “pretty warped stuff”, with the Aussie saying on air:

“I can’t believe this drop. Where that ball is, he’s got to keep the flag in line. He’s not going backwards. That, to me is quite amazing..to be able to get it onto the fairway. That’s pretty warped stuff.”

Fellow commentator and winner on the European Tour, Nick Dougherty, declared the decision as a “monumental break”, and the reaction on Twitter was even more stinging:

This is Rose hitting from the same spot that Pereira got a drop from?? @ByTheMinGolf https://t.co/iX8wnsIs8q

— Richard Keane (@ke4no) May 21, 2022

Riley went on to say the ruling was “just one of those”, while Pereira went on to make bogey on the hole.

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As far as bad breaks go at the PGA Championship this week, Richard Bland can safely say he suffered the worst.

• Related: ‘I didn’t recognize him at first’ – Mickelson’s mother says ‘relaxed’ Lefty has a surprising new look

The Englishman may not have been threatening to make the cut at Southern Hills, but he certainly wasn’t helped by lady luck after an unruly squirrel caused him to make a bogey on Friday.

A fan-taken video of the incident was given some context from Bland on Twitter, who explained:

“You know it’s not going to be your week when you play a good recovery shot from under the trees & this little fella gets in the way. To top it off. The ball rolls back off the green and don’t get up & down.”

Check it out below.

You know it’s not going to be your week when you play a good recovery shot from under the trees & this little fella gets in the way ?? To top it off. The ball rolls back off the green & don’t get up & down ?????? #sumstheweekup pic.twitter.com/fL5BASuJI9

— Richard Bland (@blandy73) May 21, 2022

Unfortunately for Bland, he was unable to replace the ball from the point the squirrel had stopped it as the ball had not come to rest. Per the USGA rules:

“If your ball is moved by an outside influence, such as an animal or a spectator, there is no penalty to anyone and the ball must be replaced. When your ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped, there is no penalty and you will normally play the ball from wherever it lies.”

Bland is heading home early after finishing the week at 10 over par.

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• The chaotic F1 season finale explained in golf terms is absolutely hilarious
• ‘Don’t drink and order Taco Bell on Uber Eats’ – John Daly’s Taco Bell order is pretty incredible

Phil Mickelson isn’t defending his PGA Championship this week at Southern Hills, something which his old foe Tiger Woods described as “disappointing” in his pre-tournament press conference.

• Related: Major champ calls for audio release of bombshell Mickelson interview

The 51-year-old has stepped away from the sport after receiving heavy backlash for his links to LIV Golf, whose Saudi backers he described as “scary…to deal with” while advising that they were a way of leveraging with the PGA Tour and their “obnoxious greed.”

• Related: How Mickelson gambled during tournaments with announcer who was throwing ‘wadded-up twenties out of tower’

In a phone interview this week with USA TODAY Sports, Mickelson’s mother, Mary, gave an update on her son, who is sporting a new look giving him the chance to go out and about without receiving too much attention.

“I didn’t recognize him at first. He had a little bit of a beard and mustache. I don’t ever remember him doing that before. Not too many people recognize him, so it’s been fun to be able to go out with him.”

Mary revealed that Lefty is “happy and relaxed”, spending most of his time in his Rancho Santa Fe, Calif, estate, which he leaves to watch his nephew play Little League baseball and his niece play lacrosse.

“I wish you could see him now. He’s relaxed, he laughs all the time. He’s not on the phone with people that are calling him for this and that, and please play in this tournament, and it’s hard when you have to say no, when you don’t have the time to spend.

But he has taken a lot of time with our family…Tim and Tina, his brother and sister, have mentioned that too. How happy he seems. How relaxed and comfortable. And if it means going through all of this … I’m happy for him.”

As for golf? Mary Mickelson says they don’t discuss the sport but that golf fans will see “a different person if” Phil decides to make a return.

“We don’t talk about [golf] very much. I know when he comes to visit, we’re always in the backyard putting and chipping and just playing around. I guess he’s getting out there. I really don’t know for sure.”

More from the 19th Hole

• ‘Hey Cypress, we took your best shot!’ – Golfer plays Cypress Point in 70mph howling wind
• The chaotic F1 season finale explained in golf terms is absolutely hilarious
• ‘Don’t drink and order Taco Bell on Uber Eats’ – John Daly’s Taco Bell order is pretty incredible