‘What is happening?’ Unthinkable golf score stuns as rookie responds to trainwreck for ages

William Mouw wears a bracelet on his right wrist that says ‘NEVER EVER GIVE UP’.

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Well, Mouw’s commitment to that mantra was tested on Saturday when the 24-year-old went viral after carding an octuple-bogey on one particularly notorious hole in the second round of The American Express.

Mouw was right near the cut line when he faced the par-5 16th hole and quickly found himself in trouble when his ball landed in the 18-foot deep greenside bunker.

It took Mouw a total of 13 shots to play the hole, and as if that wasn’t already painful enough, the PGA Tour rookie was able to get the ball out of the bunker twice only to hit it back in.

“Oh my goodness,” an announcer on the PGA Tour Live broadcast said.

“What is happening?”

But with each and every step, which was first broadcast on live television and later shared across social media platforms, Mouw had a smile on his face.

Speaking to PGATOUR.COM after missing the cut by nine shots, Mouw said he was “proud” of himself after shooting a five-under 67 the following day.

“People know that bunker and I’m definitely not the first to get captured by the bunker and make a big number and I certainly won’t be the last,” Mouw said.

“It’s something that when it’s happening you just have to laugh at it and accept it and move on.

“Stuff happens, golf’s a crazy game. Looking at the big picture and seeing things and moving on, having nine birdies today and bouncing back in a positive way is meaningful to me.”

In fact, Mouw started his interview off by telling the PGA Tour social media team that at least he “didn’t have a 13 today”.

Talk about perspective.

Mouw fired off nine birdies in his impressive third round response to that 13-shot hole in Round 2, later adding that golf is “a lot like life”.

“There’s adversity,” he said.

“As a player and as a student of the game and a person of life, it’s not about dwelling on adversity. (It’s) how can you turn your adversity into positivity to fuel you to get better and just look at the bigger picture.

“Without that mishap and things like that, my game is right there. I learned a lot this week. I think I had like 20-plus birdies this week. It was a great week… proud of the way I bounced back today.”