Mike Ehrmann
Originally, we put together this list on National High Five Day in 2017, but in the wake of Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman mangling one during Sunday’s final round of the Zurich Classic, we figured we’d bring it back.
Plus, National High Five Day was oddly on April 15th (Maybe you high five your accountant on Tax Day?), so we’re still pretty close. And failing to connect on that exact day is actually fitting based on how often PGA Tour pros—despite obviously being gifted with incredible hand-eye coordination—fail to properly connect when performing this simple celebration.
Made up holidays are absurd, but on National High Five Day, please pour one out for pro golfers, who are terrible at them in every way. pic.twitter.com/4LGnQVhuhA
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) April 20, 2017
So let’s take a look back at some of the worst high fives in golf history. But first, let’s start with Smith and Leishman having a classic high-five/fist-bump mixup:
WOW!@MarcLeish chips in for birdie on No. 16.
Team Smith/Leishman are now tied for the lead @Zurich_Classic. pic.twitter.com/Y1EQPlRPHT
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 25, 2021
Tough scene. But the Aussie duo can feel better knowing there have been worse high five fails. Much, much worse ones.
Who could forget Tommy Fleetwood managing to hit himself in the face (thanks to his caddie) after making a clutch birdie at the 2017 WGC-Mexico Championship?
Tommy Fleetwood!
A 40ft putt to move 1 off the lead! pic.twitter.com/ruf6pJvi3L
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) March 5, 2017
Ouch. Seriously, Tommy? How is this possible?
If you’re thinking, Yeah, but the Brits aren’t good at high fiving, well, maybe there’s some truth to that. But American golfers are just as bad. Remember Tiger Woods’ In Your LIFE! chip-in at the 2005 Masters. Of course, you do. It was so good, though, that golf fans forget about his embarrassing exchange with caddie Steve Williams right after:
That was almost enough to ruin the entire moment. Phil Mickelson and caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay have botched their share of high fives through the years as well.
My favourite one: pic.twitter.com/IDwPPfaXup
— Adam Sarson (@Adam_Sarson) April 20, 2017
And here’s Louis Oosthuizen and his caddie after the South African made his albatross on the second hole in the final round of the 2012 Masters:
The dude had just holed a 4-iron from TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE yards and yet he couldn’t land a high five from point-blank range?! That’s just mind-boggling.
In celebration of this great holiday regular day, we’ll be on the lookout for more high five fails. Odds are, we’ll see some more at this week’s Valspar Championship. After all, Zach Johnson is in the field.