A PGA Tour golfer has gone viral after removing his shirt to attempt a difficult shot during the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Michael Brennan, 24, was competing alongside his teammate Johnny Keefer at TPC Louisiana in Avondale when his second shot landed in a water hazard on the par-5 18th hole during the first round.
To avoid a penalty stroke, Brennan chose an unconventional approach. Instead of removing his shoes and socks to wade into the water—a common tactic in such situations—he decided to take off his shirt. He then crouched low to execute a creative shot aimed at rescuing his ball from danger. However, the plan did not go as expected.
Brennan struck the water more than the ball, and the ball traveled only a few meters before sinking back into the reedy pond. The commentator joked, "That was not worth it," while his co-commentator enthusiastically shouted, "That's awesome. Keep flexing. Keep flexing. Keep flexing 'em."
The moment quickly swept the internet, and Keefer suggested that Brennan "might get a few DMs" as a result. Brennan laughed in response, saying, "I have no idea. I don't know if I've been very close. When we were at school, a couple of my teammates had a video that blew up on our Wake Instagram, but I wasn't in the video, so I really have no idea. Maybe that by association. I was dropping it if I was just playing in a normal tournament, but Johnny had a birdie putt on the green. So I was, like, 'Well, I guess we can try it.' But, yeah, it was fun."
Fortunately for Brennan, the Zurich Classic is not a typical tournament. In the first round, both players from each pair play the hole, and the best ball counts. Despite Brennan's antics, Keefer managed a par on the 18th, rendering the risky move unnecessary. The duo finished the day at 11 under par, tied for fourth place, after an impressive round featuring four birdies and one eagle.
"I felt like we played really solid," Brennan added. "On most holes we had looks for birdie. We converted a pretty good number of them, which was nice. It's good when you feel like you get some good stuff out of the round, and you don't feel like you leave too many out there. It was solid golf."
