Danny Willett, and his playing partners J.B. Holmes and Louis Oosthuizen, were done with their next-to-last hole on Friday at the 2017 PGA Championship as darkness had set in at Quail Hollow Club. The trio knew PGA of America officials would soon appear in carts and blow an air horn to signal the suspension of play. If they didn't at least start the last hole -- which would give them the option to finish it -- then they would all have to get up early and make a long day on Saturday.
So, the 2016 Masters winner, who was going to miss the cut no matter what happened at the final hole, took one for the team. Willett sprinted to the tee on the par-4 ninth, the group's last hole, and quickly hit a tee shot to make sure the group officially started the hole.
Willett's action didn't go unnoticed on social media, especially as the horn sounded within seconds of the Englishman hitting the tee shot with an iron that went some 200 yards on a 500-yard par 4.
Horn goes to signal end of play, but groups can finish hole they are on. Willett + DJ ran ahead to tee off on 9/18 to help out the group
— Phil Casey (@pcaseysafc) August 12, 2017
Willett missed the cut. Oosthuizen wrapped up at 5-under 137, three behind co-leaders Hideki Matsuyama and Kevin Kisner. Holmes finished on the cut line at 5 over and will make the weekend.
