John Senden remains classy after a crash at the Australian PGA Championship

John Senden, a high-class man, put his dose of misery on the chin after an aerial match at the Australian PGA Championship on the Gold Coast made the golf world talk.

After two holes under eight holes, Australian Senden did not touch his pilot on the ball after the shaft sagged and slammed into the clamp during his downswing, pinching him at the same time.

The rare sight, which left Senden unbalanced and wringing his right hand, shocked the commentators and led to a lengthy discussion with the rules officer.

While social media illuminated the vision of the incident, Senden seemed to argue unsuccessfully that, feeling that the club was breaking, he was trying to pull out of the shot.

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It was from a point of view shared by the gaming partner and his veteran Australian colleague Geoff Ogilvy, who expressed his disgust when the official rules suggested that the air swing would be considered as a shot.

Without another driver in his bag, the former PGA Tour activist was forced to remove the tee, drop the ball on the tee and hit an iron.

There was no penalty but the shot counted as Senden's second goal and he then recorded a bogey on a ninth hole of normal five with seven eagles and considered the easiest of the day.

With the spare sinks from Senden to Brisbane, he was forced to use a three-wood for the remaining 10 holes, which he sailed well to a bogey on the last for a tie tied.

"Unfortunately, that counts for a blow," he said after the tour.

"This has already been the case for other players, but the first time it happened in a tournament," he said.

"In fact, it's a little scary.

"I got my finger stuck … I pinched it a bit and I felt very uncomfortable and had to learn to use the three woods from there."

Senden worked in the marker's hut but left without complaint.

"There is no exception, it's just the rule, you can not argue against the rule," he said.

"When you intend to shoot a shot and you do not hit it, it's a shot, that's how it goes."

Ryan Fox was the best Kiwi at RACV's Royal Pines Resort in 3 under, one of 14 players tied for ninth, while Ryan Chisnall and Gareth Paddison were in 2 under.