Colt Knost not happy after pin moved at US PGA Championships

American Colt Knost was furious with tournament officials after his bid for a first Major title was hampered in bizarre circumstances in the US PGA Championship on Friday.

Knost was in the first group out at 7am local time and began the day just four shots off the lead held by compatriot Jimmy Walker after carding an opening 69 at Baltusrol.

However, the 31-year-old and playing partners Joe Summerhays and Yuta Ikeda had not been informed that the pin position on the 10th hole – their first – had been changed from one side of the green to the other.

Knost and Ikeda both bogeyed the hole and although Knost birdied the 11th before play was suspended due to a waterlogged course, he was understandably less than pleased with the situation.

“PGA trying its hardest to trump the USGA,” Knost wrote on Twitter, a possible reference to the USGA’s much-criticised handling of Dustin Johnson’s one-shot penalty in the final round of the US Open.

And in response to Golf.com suggesting he was unhappy play was not suspended sooner in heavy rain, Knost replied: “fine with playing. Not fine with them butchering the pin on #10 and playing it down [not having preferred lies].”

Pin positions on the eighth and 16th were also changed due to the bad weather, with a total of three different pin sheets given to players and caddies.

More than an inch of rain fell on Baltusrol overnight and further downpours on Friday morning forced play to be suspended at 8:15am, with the players remaining on the course while the excess water was cleared.

Play was initially scheduled to resume at 8:45am but eventually restarted at 8:56am, a total delay of 41 minutes.