Na(T) in My House! Kevin Na Calls Out DJ for Picking up Putt

Apparently, the last thing on Dustin Johnson’s mind on the 11th were the rules considering how/when a putt is conceded by an opponent. 

After missing an 8-foot birdie putt, Johnson picked up his ball, assuming that Na was going to concede the putt. However, there was just one problem; the rules state that the opponent has to say something or give you the nod first in order for the putt to be conceded. Yes, a silly formality, considering Johnson’s ball was only 13 inches from the hole, but a rule nonetheless. 

Don’t see this often.

Kevin Na and Dustin Johnson having a discussion about conceding a putt at the #DellMatchPlay.

Seems like Na wanted to say the putt was good first, while DJ just picked it up. pic.twitter.com/iXJdZLOzOQ

— Cam Rogers (@MrRogers99) March 26, 2021

Kevin Na, Johnson’s opponent, made sure to let DJ know that he should have waited for the putt to be conceded. 

Dustin: Did you concede that putt?
Kevin: Na

— Amanda Rose (@amandagolf59) March 26, 2021

“His [putt] lipped out and he had 6 inches and obviously it’s good, but I hadn’t said anything and he whacked it,” Na said in an interview following the match. “I froze there and looked at [caddie Kenny Harms] and I wasn’t going to say that’s a penalty, you’re going to lose the hole. I was going to say, you know what, that was good anyway.”

“So I called him over and said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to take the hole from you but I just want to let you know before I said something, you whacked the ball. But I’m going to give that putt to you so we’ll call it a halve and go to the next hole.”

In the end, Johnson was not assessed a penalty (probably due to the less-serious nature of the tournament), though it did seem, however, that the slip of mind stuck with him for the remainder of the round. Johnson hit a shot into the water on the next hole, and eventually lost to Na who nailed a gutsy 4-footer to claim the victory. 

In classic DJ fashion, he declined to comment on the incident. With the loss to Na, Johnson has now failed to make it out of the first round for the third consecutive time. 

Cover Image via Instagram