Over the weekend, LIV Golf superstar Cameron Smith found himself in contention at the Asian Tour International Series’ Hong Kong Open.

Smith finished one shot behind the winner Ben Campbell, and the pair played the final round alongside Phachara Khongwatmai. During the round, an unusual rules situation took place when Khongwatmai hit his tee shot into the bushes on the 16th hole.

While looking for his ball, Khongwatmai appeared to be moving large tree branches to the dismay of Campbell.

“He’s moving stuff all around it!”, Campbell could be heard shouting on the broadcast. He then called over a rules official to help with the situation.

Photographer Stephen Roche captured the video, and the X account “Monday Q Info” shared it on X.

This is pretty wild. According to a story I read, Phachara Khongwatmai and his caddie walked around for nearly 15 minutes in this area before hitting the shot
He was leading at the time. Both Cam Smith and Ben Cambell were frustrated
? @StephenRoche100

pic.twitter.com/ScK8CR0GpE

— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) November 12, 2023

It was determined that Khongwatmai didn’t break any rules and ended up making a double-bogey on the hole.

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While doing an interview with the “Irish Independent“, Rory McIlroy shared some more details regarding the argument he had with Joe LaCava at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.

• Related: Gary Player leaves fans stunned with 7-word putdown of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

The altercation stemmed from a report that indicated Patrick Cantlay was not wearing a hat during play as a protest for not getting paid during the Ryder Cup. After he drilled a clutch putt in the match against McIlroy, the United States team all waved their hat in support of Cantlay. LaCava joined in while on the green and according to McIlroy, went on a bit too long.

“Here’s what angered me, my relationship with Cantlay is average at best. We don’t have a ton in common and see the world quite differently.

“But when I saw he was getting stick on the 17th and 18th greens, I tried to quieten the crowd for him. And I don’t think Fitz and I were afforded the same opportunity to try and hole those putts to halve the match.

“I hit a decent putt but I under-read it basically, and Fitz hit a good putt but left it short, right in the jaws.”

“I shook Joe’s hand, and Patrick’s hand. Those three putts he made on 16, 17 and 18 were fantastic, and under that pressure, to give your team a glimmer of hope going into Sunday was big balls. So, all respect to him.

“There was a bit of argy-bargy at the back of the 18th green with Fred Couples and Thomas Bjorn – and that’s fine – but as I’m walking back to the locker room I can feel this red mist coming over me: ‘No! That wasn’t right.”

“As we’re getting up to leave I’m like, ‘I’m going into their locker room now to sort this out, and Shane was like, ‘No Rory. Bad idea.’”

Justin Thomas’ caddie, Bones Mackay, then came over to attempt to calm Rory down.

“He’s coming over to try and defuse the situation,” said McIlroy. “But he’s wearing an American top, and I know he’s friends with Joe, and I just tripped. Complete rage. I felt bad about it afterwards because Bones’s wife was standing beside him, and I used a lot of swear words. So not my finest moment. Then Shane bundled me into the car.”

“So we’re going left and someone is shouting at me, ‘Rory! Rory!’, and I look back and it’s Ricky Elliott and Claude Harmon. And they’re trying to defuse the situation but I start having a go at them. ‘Joe LaCava used to be a nice guy when he was caddying for Tiger, and now he’s caddying for that d**k he’s turned into a …’ I still wasn’t in a great headspace.”

McIlroy and LaCava have since mended fences and shared a text message exchange shortly after the event, however the Northern Irishman calling Cantlay a “d***” certainly adds another layer to the story.

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After spending 2.5 years in prison, Angel Cabrera is ready to return to golf.

• Related: Gary Player leaves fans stunned with 7-word putdown of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

The former Masters champion was sentenced back in the summer of 2021 after being found guilty of “assaulting, threatening and harassing” his ex-girlfriend.

According to his coach, Charlie Epps, “El Pato” is practicing and gearing up for a return to professional golf.

“He wants to play, he’s learned his lesson, he wants to get on with his life,” Epps told Golfweek.

Epps continued, “I think he’s in a great frame of mind for what he’s been through. He’s got to go through the mechanics of getting his Visa back and then approach the PGA Tour and I think it’s going to end up being good.”

“He demonstrated his talent and drive is still there. We played five rounds of golf at Córdoba Golf Club, where we both grew up playing, and he was always under par. Right now, he’s just trying to get his life in shape and practice and stuff like that and get here to the United States. He’s been humbled and says, ‘It’s all up to him.’ He knows what he needs to do and he said he’s ready for a second chance. He prays to God he doesn’t take another drink. And he’s so headstrong. When he puts his mind to doing something, he’ll do it just like that. The day he won the Masters he was walking from the 10th green after making a bogey and going three behind. I asked him, ‘What were you thinking about?’ He said, ‘I told myself I just have to make three birdies because 12 under is going to be a good score.”

Epps also believes that a US Senior Open title could be in Cabrera’s future”

“The way Angel plays on hard courses, I think he can still win the US Senior Open. I want him to be the comeback player of the year.”

Cabrera is currently seeking a Visa to return to the United States then he must apply for reinstatement for the PGA Tour Champions.

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