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It’s a competitive division but no golf organisation does self-inflicted black eyes quite like the USGA.

The architects of numerous entirely-avoidable US Open catastrophes in recent years were at it again last night when they walked back a tweet posted on their PR account on Sunday, in which they spectacularly called out Justin Thomas.

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Responding to a series of tweets from the former world No.1 in which he criticised some of the new rules implemented this year by the USGA and R&A, the organisation claimed that Thomas had cancelled scheduled meetings with them multiple times.

After finishing up at the Honda Classic on Sunday night, Thomas hit back.

• Injury forces Tiger to WD from Arnold Palmer Invitational

“It really hurt me,” said the 25-year-old. “It was upsetting to me because the information they put out there was inaccurate in terms of me cancelling meetings, and that doesn’t make me look good, and that’s just when I got a little upset.”

• WATCH – Man headbutted through window in extraordinary golf club scrap

Last night, the USGA tweeted again… to say that they’d got it wrong.

Conspicuous by its absence, of course, is the word ‘sorry’.

Thomas, meanwhile, has not commented on the latest piece of correspondence, choosing to simply retweet it.

• Fears raised over future of Aberdeen’s public courses

As you might expect, the ‘non-apology’ hasn’t gone down very well with social media users, including Thomas’ fellow former world No.1 Lee Westwood.

The lesson here? Think before you tweet.


author headshot

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

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