Protesters interrupt finish of Travelers Championship on 18th green

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Six local weather protesters stormed the 18th inexperienced whereas the leaders have been lining up their putts for the ultimate gap of regulation on the PGA Tour’s Vacationers Championship on Sunday, spraying smoke and powder and delaying the end for about 5 minutes.

The protesters waved smoke bombs that left white and crimson residue on the placing floor earlier than Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim and Akshay Bhatia completed their rounds. Some wore white T-shirts with the phrases “NO GOLF ON A DEAD PLANET” in black lettering on the entrance.

“I used to be scared for my life,” Bhatia mentioned. “I didn’t even actually know what was occurring. … However fortunately the cops have been there and stored us protected, as a result of that’s, you already know, that’s simply bizarre stuff.”

The PGA Tour issued a press release thanking the Cromwell Police Division “for his or her fast and decisive motion” and noting that there was no injury to the 18th inexperienced that affected both the tip of regulation or the playoff gap.

Scheffler, who was arrested throughout a site visitors cease on the PGA Championship, additionally praised the officers.

“From my perspective, they obtained it taken care of fairly dang quick, and so we have been very grateful for that,” mentioned Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 participant, who beat Kim on the primary gap of a sudden-death playoff for his sixth victory of the yr.

“When one thing like that occurs, you don’t actually know what’s occurring, so it might probably type of rattle you slightly bit,” Scheffler mentioned. “That may be a irritating scenario, and you’d hate for the match to finish on one thing bizarre occurring due to a scenario like that. I felt like Tom and I each tried to calm one another down so we may give it our greatest shot there on 18.”

Extinction Rebel, an activist group with a historical past of disrupting occasions all over the world, claimed accountability for the protest. In a press release emailed to The Related Press, the group blamed local weather change for {an electrical} storm that injured two individuals at a house close to the course on Saturday.

“This was after all as a result of more and more unpredictable and excessive climate situations,” the assertion mentioned. “Golf, greater than different occasions, is closely reliant on good climate. Golf followers ought to subsequently perceive higher than most the necessity for robust, instant local weather motion.”

After the protesters have been tackled by police and brought off, Scheffler left a possible 26-foot clincher from the perimeter on the proper fringe of the cup, then tapped in for par. Kim, who trailed by one stroke heading into the ultimate gap, sank a 10-foot birdie putt to tie Scheffler and power the playoff.

Kim mentioned the protest took his thoughts off the strain.

“It type of slowed issues down,” he mentioned. “It took the which means of the putt away for a second. As a result of for the previous 17 and a half holes all you’re excited about is golf, and all of a sudden when that occurs your thoughts goes into a whole — like, you’re nearly not even taking part in golf anymore. I believed it was a dream for a second.”

The gang surrounding the 18th inexperienced heckled the protesters by yelling profanities and cheered the police who intervened. After the gamers putted out in regulation, employees with leaf blowers got here out to scrub off the remaining powder.

The outlet location was moved for the playoff, which was additionally on No. 18. Scheffler parred the primary gap of sudden loss of life to win.

“They left loads of marks on the greens, which isn’t proper for us gamers — particularly when two guys are attempting to win a golf match,” Kim mentioned. “However I’m very grateful for the tour and the tour safety for dealing with that actually properly and making us gamers really feel so much safer.”

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