Golfer's Muttered Slur Caught on Mic

One of the top golfers in the world is apologizing after TV mics picked up his muttered slur when he missed a putt. Justin Thomas, ranked No. 3, uttered the homophobic word—six letters, begins with f—on Saturday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii, reports CNN. Afterward, Thomas said he wasn't even aware he used the word until it was brought to his attention. "It's inexcusable," he told the Golf Channel. "First off, I just apologize. I'm an adult. I'm a grown man, there's absolutely no reason for me to say anything like that. It's terrible. I'm extremely embarrassed."

Thomas will likely be fined for the miscue. "As he expressed after his round, we agree that Justin's comment was unacceptable," says the PGA Tour, per Golf Digest. Thomas missed a 6-foot putt for par on the fourth hole Saturday, and his self-directed comment could be heard on the Golf Channel broadcast. (Watch it here. Not everyone was terribly offended.) As it turns out, Thomas missed the tournament playoff by one stroke when all was said and done on Sunday. “I screwed up,” he says of the slur. “I have to be better. I will be better. I deeply apologize to everybody and anybody who was offended.” (More golfer stories.)