NBA Coach Had a Ridiculously Bad Opening Tee Shot While Playing With Phil Mickelson in LIV Golf Event

Mark Daigneault’s first tee shot in front of the LIV golfer was a sight to be seen.

There are first tee jitters, and then there are first tee jitters while playing in front of a six-time major champion like Phil Mickelson. 

Mark Daigneault, the coach of the NBA’s Thunder, might be accustomed to high-stakes scenarios in sports, but in an extremely relatable moment on Thursday, the first tee at LIV Golf’s Pro-Am got the better of him.

On the first hole of Cedar Ridge Country Club, a journalist named TJ Eckert captured Daigneault hitting a particularly humbling first drive. 

The lefty appeared to swing with considerable speed, but his club face only brushed the upper surface of his golf ball—the perfect recipe for the dreaded “top.” 

The less than ideal contact caused the ball to come shooting in Eckert’s direction, where it lightly bounced off of his camera lens. 

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault playing with Phil Mickelson in the LIV Tulsa Pro-Am.

Opening tee shot? Off my camera. 😳#LIVGolf #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/55DigdqpRk

— TJ Eckert (@TJEckertKTUL) May 11, 2023

Luckily, no one was injured, although we can imagine Daigneault’s second shot was slightly more stressful than his first.  

Mickelson and the rest of the LIV golf crew are competing in the league’s Tulsa event this week, which will take place from May 12–14.