DP World Tour pro blasts “ridiculous” course set-up

By common consent, Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club possesses the best views on the DP World Tour.

That, though, was of precisely zero consequence to Jordan Smith during Saturday’s third round of the Omega European Masters.

The English ace had battled his way into contention for a third victory on the former European Tour onto to see his challenge derailed by extraordinarily difficult conditions on so-called ‘Moving Day’.

Winds of more than 35mph resulted in some big numbers being posted on Saturday – a day when the field’s stroke average climbed to 74.16, up from 69.83 on Thursday and 69.81 on Friday.

• REVEALED! The hardest golf course on the PGA Tour in 2024

• Will another USA victory be the death of the Presidents Cup?

Playing in the teeth of the weather, Smith laboured to a seven-over 77, carding three bogeys, a double and a quadruple-bogey eight on the back nine alone.

Afterwards, he took to social media to vent his frustration at the course set-up, insisting that tournament officials had blundered by not taking heed of the forecast whilst setting up the course.

“A day to forget but a day for the @DPWorldTour refs to forget,” wrote Smith on X (formerly Twitter).

• Scots rocker “owes Bob MacIntyre a tattoo” after losing bet

• The golf rivalry you didn’t think you needed set for $100,000 showdown

“The quickest these greens have ever been by far but they still decide to use the same pins as old plus with high winds today. Even with the perfect conditions yesterday a few of the pins were ridiculous.”

He continued his complaint in a follow-up post, saying: “Plus the forecast was out at 6am with the first tee time being 7:30/45 so [they] had time to change them!”

Smith came back on Sunday and was ten shots better in much calmer conditions, carding a 67 to finish five-under-par for the week and six shots behind compatriot Matt Wallace, who won his fifth DP World Tour title.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor