SAVANNAH, Georgia — Korn Ferry Tour player Ryan McCormick, experiencing a frustrating season, took an unusual approach to control his temper on Friday: he taped his mouth shut.
The Korn Ferry Tour shared a video showing McCormick with clear tape over his mouth, explaining his unconventional method.
“This year on the golf course hasn`t been much fun. I`ve been quite angry and upset,” McCormick admitted after his round. “I`ve tried many solutions, and today I decided to simply silence myself, so I put tape over my mouth.”
Following an initial round of 73 (+1) at the Club Car Championship, he shot a 72, ensuring he would miss the cut.
McCormick explained that a key reason for this action was to avoid negatively impacting his playing partners.
“I hoped it might help me personally. I can`t definitively say if it did or didn`t. It definitely makes you focus on breathing. I felt a bit like Bane, you know, like Batman, muzzling myself. I`m not exactly proud of it. I don’t want to create an unpleasant experience for my playing partners. And frankly, it`s not fair to myself or others either. I`m struggling, and that was my solution for today.”
McCormick, who returned to the Korn Ferry Tour after playing on the PGA Tour in 2024, has only made the weekend cut in three out of six tournaments this season, and hasn`t finished in the top 40 yet.
He mentioned trying various self-help strategies, including reading books and consulting with people, but nothing has been effective.
“I`m out of ideas, and the tape idea crossed my mind a couple of weeks ago,” McCormick confessed. “Unfortunately, it came to that today.”