Patton Kizzire has had a horrendous start to the 2025 season, missing six cuts in seven tournaments. The situation seemed unchanged at the Valspar Championship, and his handling of the frustration put a possible fine in his future.
Kizzire started the first round on the 10th hole at Copperhead Course and by the time he reached the 16th hole (the seventh of the round), he was 2-over with two bogeys and no birdies.
The 39-year-old had a clear opportunity to make his fifth par of the day on 16, but instead he made his third bogey after missing an 8-foot putt.
After missing such a clear chance, Kizzire kicked his putter like a punter in the NFL, sending the club 20 feet in the air to the edge of the green. The putter was damaged and rendered useless, so he had to finish the hole putting with a wedge.
It was the third putt inside 10 feet that Kizzire missed during the first seven holes of the round, including a three-foot putt on the 12th. He also had little luck with putts inside 20 feet, missing four of them.
It didn’t take long for Kizzire to put himself out of his misery, as he withdrew from the Valspar Championship one hole after his outburst, citing a lower back injury. It’s unclear if his kicking exhibition had anything to do with it.
However, the three-time PGA Tour winner is far from the last word on the subject. The Tour has a fine policy for players who engage in this type of behavior during tournaments, so expect Kizzire to be held accountable.
Patton Kizzire of the United States lines up a putt on the 15th green during the first round of the Valspar Championship 2025 at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 20, 2025 in Palm…
Patton Kizzire of the United States lines up a putt on the 15th green during the first round of the Valspar Championship 2025 at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 20, 2025 in Palm Harbor, Florida.
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That doesn’t mean the player will ultimately have to pay a fine, as the offender can appeal, and appeals are often upheld.
Major champion Mark Calcavecchia commented on the matter in a post on X, using himself as an example of how Kizzire could come out of this unscathed:
“He’ll get fined. Then he’ll appeal claiming faulty putter and bad green. Or somebody was heckling him. I know this stuff. 19 fines myself and got outta of several,” Calcavecchia posted.
He’ll get fined. Then He’ll appeal claiming faulty putter and bad green. Or somebody was heckling him. I know this stuff. 19 fines myself and got outta of several 😳 https://t.co/bY2fyfpOzd
— Mark Calcavecchia (@MarkCalc) March 20, 2025
Patton Kizzire won the 2024 Procore Championship, his first PGA Tour victory in six seasons. The title guaranteed him a PGA Tour card through the end of 2026.
His career on the American-based circuit includes 254 tournaments played, with 145 cuts made. To his three wins, he has added two runner-up finishes and another 20 top-10s.
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