Justin Thomas and Carlos Sainz emerged victorious at the inaugural Netflix Cup, showcasing their exceptional skills on Tuesday. The renowned PGA Tour golfer and the Formula 1 driver formed an impressive duo that outperformed the competition at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas. However, the celebrations took an unfortunate turn when Sainz accidentally dropped and broke the trophy.
In the final round of the competition, Thomas and Sainz faced off against Tony Finau and Pierre Gasly in a closest-to-the-pin contest. The dynamic duo triumphed over their opponents in an alternate ‘playoff hole’ contest, granting them the coveted victory broadcasted live on Netflix. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei awarded the champions with black-and-white checkered jackets and the Netflix Cup trophy.
The jubilant atmosphere soon turned into dismay as Sainz fumbled with the trophy while trying to hold it in one hand and a large champagne bottle in the other. To everyone’s surprise, the silverware slipped from his grasp and shattered into pieces, leaving the audience gasping. Sainz, clearly distressed, watched the broken trophy lying on the grass while Justin Thomas reacted with a mix of surprise and laughter, offering consolation to his partner. Tony Finau, also taken aback by the mishap, attempted to salvage the pieces and strike a pose with them on the podium.
Interestingly, this incident isn’t the first trophy mishap Carlos Sainz has experienced this year. Fans drew parallels between this unfortunate event and Sainz’s former McLaren teammate Lando Norris accidentally destroying Max Verstappen’s trophy at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The English golfer, Lando Norris, was also present at the exhibition golf event and inadvertently shattered the expensive trophy during the champagne celebrations on the race podium.
The incident gained significant attention from viewers worldwide. It is worth noting that the Netflix Cup was initially held for charity purposes. The event even featured a ‘Squid Game Hole,’ named after the popular South Korean show. At the fifth hole, the contestants played a game of ‘Red Light, Green Light,’ mimicking the show, while waiting for a Squid Game doll to turn its head. Depending on the doll’s movement, participants either teed off or faced a penalty. Additionally, anyone sinking a hole-in-one won a large plastic ball worth $4.56 million, which was subsequently donated to charity.
The captivating combination of Justin Thomas’ golfing prowess and Carlos Sainz’s Formula 1 skills secured them the victory at the Netflix Cup. However, the unfortunate accident that led to the trophy breaking cast a shadow over their triumph. Nevertheless, their impressive performance and the intriguing elements incorporated into the event captured the attention of fans worldwide.
