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Belgian golfer Thomas Pieters has unlocked a feat at the ongoing LIV Golf Individual Championship. He hit an eagle from behind the display scoreboard.
The 32-year-old's ball landed behind the display scoreboard and he could not see the hole from behind the massive barrier. Pieters could have asked for a line-of-sight relief that allows golfers to move the ball laterally in cases where there is an immovable obstruction between the ball and the hole. He could have moved the ball from where he could have had a clear sight of the hole.
However, Thomas Pieters didn't ask for relief. He went ahead to take the shot and holed out a stunning eagle. The ball landed a few feet away from the hole and rolled down.
The LIV Golf Individual Championship kickstarted on Friday, September 13, at the Bolingbrook Golf Club in Chicago, Illinois. Currently ranked 32nd in the league, Thomas Pieters is a RangeGoats GC member. At the moment, he is tied with teammate Peter Uihlein at T11. They are the only golfers from their team to make it to the top 18 in round 1.
"After that phone call, I had to lay down outside on the grass" - Thomas Pieters on being the captain's pick at the 2016 Ryder Cup
Thomas Pieters made his European debut in 2013 and grabbed his first victory in 2015 to break into the top 100 of the OWGR. He started performing consistently, becoming European captain Darren Clarke's wildcard pick for the 2016 Ryder Cup.
Pieters talked extensively about the opportunity on his website. He revealed how he felt upon receiving the call of his selection.
"I’ll never forget the day he called. I tried to keep my voice calm and steady, but my body was totally freaking out. After that phone call, I had to lay down outside on the grass. I couldn’t believe what had just happened, it was an amazing moment of pure disbelief and joy. I was going to be a Ryder Cup rookie at Hazeltine National," he wrote.
After Thomas Pieters lost his first match, Darren Clarke paired him with Northern Irish icon Rory McIlroy. Pieters had only good things to say about his partner.
"Despite losing my first match, Darren decided to draft me in for all the other games. Playing with Rory was a little lucky because we hadn’t been paired together in practice," he added.
Although the European side lost 17-11 to the US that year, Pieters left quite a mark. He became the first European rookie to win four Ryder Cup points and it was McIlroy who apparently inspired him.
"He definitely inspired me and brought me out of my shell to help me become the first European rookie in history to win four Ryder Cup points. It was the coolest experience ever – but next time, I’d like to be on the winning team," Thomas Pieters wrote.
The Belgian golfer never participated in any Ryder Cup events post-2016. Since joining LIV Golf in 2023, his chances of making it onto the European team have seemed bleak. However, tables could turn, and if his latest eagle is any hint, Pieters is putting up a strong show.
