Opinion & Analysis
An opposition to call-in rules violations
A question for the philosophers: if a golf ball moves so short a distance that no one in that ball’s owner’s threesome can be certain whether it moved or not, did it move? Is there a penalty?
Is there a penalty if there is virtually no one standing in that area because the players in the group? Is there a penalty if the ball in question belongs to tournament leader Tiger Woods, whose every shot is televised and, therefore, scrutinized above all others?
Is it not the case that the television broadcast shows only a tiny fraction of all of the golf shots hit in a given day of competition? Is it not also the case that a small fraction of competitive rounds of golf encounter such potential infractions?
If a handful of hard-to-call rules violations occur over a given year on television, how many more occur in the groups elsewhere on the golf course? How many possible transgressors of the Rules are penalized? How many cannot, along with the others in their group, determine well enough that something untoward happened and thus proceed unpenalized?
Consider a viewer at home, who loves golf (as we all do) and regards it as the most inherently just of all sports (as we all should). Does he have an obligation to use whatever connections he has to inform the tournament organizers that a rules violation has occurred? Should he have the power to potentially affect the outcome of a PGA Tour event by virtue of his cable subscription.
Does this mean a PGA Tour event’s normal complement of rules officials—who know much, much more about the sometimes obtuse Rules of Golf and Decisions on the Rules of Golf than the average home viewer—is insufficient? Certainly the viewer at home only wants to see justice done as often as possible, but does this desire forsake the view of the proverbial forest for an intense eye on a few particular trees?
Which scenario is more “fair?”
- That six possible (i.e. indeterminate without slow-motion high-definition cameras) Rules violations occur with a total of zero penalties assessed, or
- That six such possible violations occur but one of them results in a penalty because it was the only one viewable on television? Is this the price the leader or Tiger Woods pays for playing better than most everyone else in the field? Should they pay it?
Above: Video shot by a freelance videographer was the basis of Tiger Woods’ 2-shot penalty at the BMW Championship. Tiger argued that his ball “oscillated” when he removed loose impediments around his ball, but the video evidence convinced PGA Tour rules officials that there was movement.
Click here to read more about Tiger’s 2-shot penalty at the BMW Championship.
Not every possible Rules infraction results in a penalty. Indeed, some incidents that should be penalized ultimately are not, through myriad factors, from player and caddie uncertainty to rules official misinterpretation. Golf’s practice of self-policing is one of its great virtues, but the presence of rules officials is necessary for resolving some especially murky situations. But aren’t those rules officials fallible themselves? The fact is that there is a human element in golf that sometimes keeps the objective happenings from being reflected on a scorecard.
Does this murkiness injure the game? If so, does it not follow that the television audience should be able to potentially assist the tournament staff and rules officials in the execution of those Rules? Is golf reduced in standards to a level equal with baseball and football if the on-site refereeing sometimes fails to deliver justice? That couldn’t be—even though the system is not perfect, the self-policing aspect of golf will forever set it apart from sports where attempts to manipulate and mislead officials are part of the culture.
Charles Howell was robbed of a tournament victory when his shot once struck the pin and careened into a pond. T.C. Chen’s horrid lie caused him to double-hit a pitch shot and cost him a chance to win the U.S. Open. These are just two of countless turns of events in golf that comprise the concept of “rub of the green,” which is a central principle of the game. So, why is it unreasonable to consider the occasional missed penalty part of the rub of the green? Are these “missed calls” so pervasive that it becomes necessary to disrupt the game in order to ameliorate a fraction of a relative rarity in the competitive game? No.
Golf’s governing bodies: stand by your rules officials. Honor their extensive training and expertise. If an armchair arbiter is on the line, let it go to voicemail.
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 PGA Championship betting preview: Rising star ready to join the immortals at Valhalla
The second major of the 2024 season is upon us as the world’s best players will tee it up this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky to compete for the Wanamaker Trophy.
The last time we saw Valhalla host a major championship, Rory McIlroy fended off Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler and the creeping darkness that was descending upon the golf course. The Northern Irishman had the golf world in the palm of his hand, joining only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as players who’d won four major championships by the time they were 25 years old.
Valhalla is named after the great hall described in Norse mythology where the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the Gods. The course is a Jack Nicklaus-design that has ranked among Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Courses” for three decades.
Valhalla Golf Club is a par-71 measuring 7,542 yards with Zoysia fairways and Bentgrass greens. The course has rolling hills and dangerous streams scattered throughout and the signature 13th hole is picturesque with limestone and unique bunkering protecting the green. The 2024 PGA Championship will mark the fourth time Valhalla has hosted the event.
The field this week will consist of 156 players, including 16 PGA Champions and 33 Major Champions.
Past Winners of the PGA Championship
- 2023: Brooks Koepka (-9) Oak Hill
- 2022: Justin Thomas (-5) Southern Hills
- 2021: Phil Mickelson (-6) Kiawah Island
- 2020: Collin Morikawa (-13) TPC Harding Park
- 2019: Brooks Koepka (-8) Bethpage Black
- 2018: Brooks Koepka (-16) Bellerive
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) Quail Hollow
- 2016: Jimmy Walker (-14) Baltusrol
- 2015: Jason Day (-20) Whistling Straits
- 2014: Rory McIlroy (-16) Valhalla
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Valhalla
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for Oak Hill to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
1. Strokes Gained: Approach
Valhalla will play as a true all-around test of golf for the world’s best. Of course, it will take strong approach play to win a major championship.
Strokes Gained: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Shane Lowry (+1.25)
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.09)
- Jordan Smith (+1.05)
- Tom Hoge (+.96)
- Corey Conners (+.94)
2. Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Valhalla will play long and the rough will be penal. Players who are incredibly short off the tee and/or have a hard time hitting fairways will be all but eliminated from contention this week at the PGA Championship.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Bryson DeChambeau (+1.47)
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.11)
- Keith Mitchell (+.90)
- Alejandro Tosti (+.89)
- Ludvig Aberg (+.82)
Strokes Gained: Total on Nickalus Designs
Valhalla is a classic Nicklaus Design. Players who play well at Nicklaus designs should have an advantage coming into this major championship.
Strokes Gained: Total on Nicklaus Designs over past 36 rounds:
- Jon Rahm (+2.56)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.48)
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.35)
- Collin Morikawa (+1.79)
- Shane Lowry (+1.57)
Strokes Gained: Tee to Green on Very Long Courses
Valhalla is going to play extremely long this week. Players who have had success playing very long golf courses should be better equipped to handle the conditions of this major championship.
Strokes Gained: Total on Very Long Courses Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.44)
- Rory McIlroy (+2.24)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.78)
- Viktor Hovland (+1.69)
- Xander Schauffele (+1.60)
Strokes Gained: Total in Major Championships
One factor that tends to play a large role in deciding major championships is which players have played well in previous majors leading up to the event.
Strokes Gained: Total in Major Championships over past 20 rounds:
- Scottie Scheffler (+3.14)
- Will Zalatoris (+2.64)
- Rory McIlroy (+2.49)
- Xander Schauffele (+2.48)
- Tommy Fleetwood (2.09)
Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass Greens
Valhalla features pure Bentgrass putting surfaces. Players who are comfortable putting on this surface will have an advantage on the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass Greens over Past 24 Rounds:
- Ludvig Aberg (+1.12)
- Denny McCarthy (+1.08)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (+0.99)
- Justin Rose (+0.93)
- J.T. Poston (0.87)
Strokes Gained: Total on Zoysia Fairways
Valhalla features Zoysia fairways. Players who are comfortable playing on this surface will have an advantage on the field.
Strokes Gained: Total on Zoysia Fairways over past 36 rounds:
- Justin Thomas (+1.53)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.47)
- Xander Schauffele (+1.40)
- Brooks Koepka (+1.35)
- Rory McIlroy (+1.23)
2024 PGA Championship Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (25%), SG: Off the Tee (22%), SG: T2G on Very Long Courses (12%), SG: Putting on Bentgrass (+12%), SG: Total on Nicklaus Designs (12%). SG: Total on Zoysia Fairways (8%), and SG: Total in Major Championships (8%).
- Brooks Koepka
- Xander Schauffele
- Rory McIlroy
- Scottie Scheffler
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Shane Lowry
- Alex Noren
- Will Zalatoris
- Cameron Young
- Keith Mitchell
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Billy Horschel
- Patrick Cantlay
- Viktor Hovland
- Adam Schenk
- Chris Kirk
- Sahith Theegala
- Min Woo Lee
- Joaquin Niemann
- Justin Thomas
2024 PGA Championship Picks
Ludvig Aberg +1800 (BetMGM)
At The Masters, Ludvig Aberg announced to the golf world that he’s no longer an “up and coming” player. He’s one of the best players in the game of golf, regardless of experience.
Augusta National gave Aberg some necessary scar tissue and showed him what being in contention at a major championship felt like down the stretch. Unsurprisingly, he made a costly mistake, hitting it in the water left of the 11th hole, but showed his resilience by immediately bouncing back. He went on to birdie two of his next three holes and finished in solo second by three shots. With the type of demeanor that remains cool in pressure situations, I believe Ludvig has the right mental game to win a major at this point in his career.
Aberg has not finished outside of the top-25 in his past eight starts, which includes two runner-up finishes at both a “Signature Event” and a major championship. The 24-year-old is absolutely dominant with his driver, which will give him a major advantage this week. In the field he ranks, in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, and has gained strokes in the category in each of his past ten starts. Aberg is already one of the best drivers of the golf ball on the planet.
In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the great hall where the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the Gods. The Swedes, who are of Old Norse origin, were the last of the three Scandinavian Kingdoms to abandon the Old Norse Gods. A Swede played a major role in the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, and I believe another, Ludvig Aberg, will be the one to conquer Valhalla in 2024.
Bryson DeChambeau +2800 (BetMGM)
Bryson DeChambeau is one of the few players in the world that I believe has the game to go blow-for-blow with Scottie Scheffler. Although he isn’t as consistent as Scheffler, when he’s at his best, Bryson has the talent to beat him.
At The Masters, DeChambeau put forth a valiant effort at a golf course that simply does not suit his game. Valhalla, on the other hand, is a course that should be perfect for the 30-year-old. His ability to overpower a golf course with his driver will be a serious weapon this week.
Bryson has had some success at Jack Nicklaus designs throughout his career as he won the Memorial at Muirfield Village back in 2018. He’s also had incredible results on Bentgrass greens for the entirety of his professional career. Of his 10 wins, nine of them have come on Bentgrass greens, with the only exception being the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. He also has second place finishes at Medinah and TPC Summerlin, which feature Bentgrass greens.
Love him or hate him, it’s impossible to argue that Bryson isn’t one of the most exciting and important players in the game of golf. He’s also one of the best players in the world. A second major is coming soon for DeChambeau, and I believe he should be amongst the favorites to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy this week.
Patrick Cantlay +4000 (FanDuel)
There’s no way of getting around it: Patrick Cantlay has been dissapointing in major championships throughout his professional career. He’s been one of the top players on Tour for a handful of years and has yet to truly contend at a major championship, with the arguable exception of the 2019 Masters.
Despite not winning majors, Cantlay has won some big events. The 32-year-old has won two BMW Championships, two Memorial Tournaments as well as a Tour Championship. His victories at Memorial indicate how much Cantlay loves Nicklaus designs, where he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total over his past 36 rounds behind only Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm.
Cantlay also loves Bentgrass greens. Six of Cantlay’s seven individual wins on the PGA Tour have come on Bentgrass greens and he also was one of the best putters at the 2023 Ryder cup at Marco Simone (also Bentgrass). At Caves Valley (2021 BMW Championship), he gained over 12 strokes putting to outduel another Bentgrass specialist, Bryson DeChambeau.
Cantlay finished 22nd in The Masters, which was a solid result considering how many elite players struggled that week. He also has two top-ten finishes in his past five PGA Championships. He’s undeniably one of the best players in the field, therefore, it comes down to believing Cantlay has the mental fortitude to win a major, which I do.
Joaquin Niemann +4000 (BetMGM)
I believe Joaquin Niemann is one of the best players in the world. He has three worldwide wins since December and has continued to improve over the course of his impressive career thus far. Still only 25, the Chilean has all the tools to be a serious contender in major championships for years to come.
Niemann has been the best player on LIV this season. Plenty will argue with the format or source of the money on LIV, but no one can argue that beating players such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith is an unremarkable achievement. Niemann is an elite driver of the golf ball who hits it farther than just about anyone in the field not named Bryson DeChambeau or (arguably) Rory McIlroy.
Niemann is another player who has been fantastic throughout his career on Bentgrass greens. Prior to leaving the PGA Tour, Bentgrass was the only green surface in which Joaco was a positive putter. It’s clearly a surface that he is very comfortable putting on and should fare around and on the greens this week.
Niemann is a perfect fit for Valhalla. His low and penetrating ball flight will get him plenty of runout this week on the fairways and he should have shorter shots into the green complexes than his competitors. To this point in his career, the former top ranked amateur in the world (2018) has been underwhelming in major championships, but I don’t believe that will last much longer. Joaquin Niemann is a major championship caliber player and has a real chance to contend this week at Valhalla.
- LIKE26
- LEGIT9
- WOW3
- LOL1
- IDHT1
- FLOP3
- OB1
- SHANK11
In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.
At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.
It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.
And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.
I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.
But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.
If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.
To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.
There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.
Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.
The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.
First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.
And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”
So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.
More from the Wedge Guy
- The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1
- The Wedge Guy: The easiest-to-learn golf basic
- The Wedge Guy: Golf mastery begins with your wedge game
- LIKE6
- LEGIT3
- WOW0
- LOL1
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK5
19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title
The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.
After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.
Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.
Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.
The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child.
Past Winners at Quail Hollow
- 2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
- 2022: Max Homa (-8)
- 2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
- 2019: Max Homa (-15)
- 2018: Jason Day (-12)
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
- 2016: James Hahn (-9)
- 2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)
Key Stats For Quail Hollow
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Corey Conners (+1.01)
- Shane Lowry (+0.93)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.82)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:
- Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
- Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
- Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
- Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
- Chris Kirk (+0.52)
Proximity: 175-200
The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard.
Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:
- Cameron Young (28’2″)
- Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
- Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
- Sam Burns (+30’6″)
- Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs
Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week.
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
- Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
- Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.57)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)
Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Taylor Moore (+0.82)
- Nick Dunlap (+.76)
- Wyndham Clark (+.69)
- Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
- Cam Davis (+.61)
Course History
This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow.
Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):
- Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
- Justin Thomas (+1.96)
- Jason Day (+1.92)
- Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
- Viktor Hovland (+1.78)
Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).
- Wyndham Clark
- Rory McIlroy
- Xander Schauffele
- Shane Lowry
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Viktor Hovland
- Cameron Young
- Austin Eckroat
- Byeong Hun An
- Justin Thomas
2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks
Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)
I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.
Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.
Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.
For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.
I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.
Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)
It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024.
Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.
The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.
Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.
Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week.
Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)
For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.
Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.
The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.
Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.
Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)
Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.
Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.
An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.
Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.
- LIKE9
- LEGIT4
- WOW1
- LOL1
- IDHT1
- FLOP1
- OB0
- SHANK1
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2014 PGA Championship
It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Rory McIlroy outlasted Phil Mickelson at the 2014 PGA Championship. It’s...
Tiger Woods WITB 2024 (May)
Tiger Woods WITB accurate as of the PGA Championship. In-hand photos from 2024 Genesis Open. Check out more photos of Tiger...
Michael Block WITB 2024 (May)
Michael Block what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 “Dot” (9 degrees @7.5) Shaft:...
Brooks Koepka WITB 2024 (May)
Brooks Koepka what’s in the bag accurate as of the PGA Championship. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 “Dot” (10.5 degrees @9.75) Shaft:...
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoGary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Equipment7 days agoDetails on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks agoTeam McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Whats in the Bag1 week agoKeegan Bradley WITB 2024 (May)
-
Equipment2 weeks agoGolf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
-
Equipment2 weeks agoWhy Wesley Bryan is playing two 4-irons this week
BJ
Sep 29, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Many people question Tiger’s character or integrity because of what happened in his personal life, I doubt that Woods is the only guy on tour to commit such transgressions, but we never hear about them. I also have a hard time believing that other golfers don’t make questionable rules interpretations in their own favor, despite the “honor” of the players. Whenever there are large amounts of money involved people will take advantage.
So it’s probably safe to say the players outside the top 20 are not under this kind of scrutiny.
Mat
Sep 25, 2013 at 9:41 pm
Those of you judging the ethos of players… I’m sure that you have no faults of your own.
The article is about the complexity of the Rules, and that their application is either unnecessarily difficult or overly draconian. Turning it into a morality contest seems… Well, not right.
Fred
Oct 1, 2013 at 8:46 pm
In the spirit of your comment, Mat, I offer this… It’s interesting – Tiger was accessed a two-shot penalty based on the judgment by PGA officials that his balled moved, which the rules say gave him an “advantage,” toward his next shot. Meanwhile, the USGA has ruled that players who use a belly putter have, in part, an “advantage” over those who use a standard-sized putter, which is why it will become illegal to use in the next four years. So, this means that for the next four years, Adam Scott will be allowed to use a putter the USGA says gives him an advantage over other players, and do so without penalty. Maybe I’m stretching it a bit, here, but, somehow, it seems like a contradiction in defining the term “advantage.” Just a thought.
jo
Sep 25, 2013 at 4:30 pm
a lot of hate here ,thing is tiger was is and always will be the greatest golfer that ever lived ,and people who are small minded and jealous of him will always try put him down .did the ball move it’s easy to say when you can pause rewind and watch over and over again ,but when you get one chance to call it and from a different angle it’s not that easy he did what he thought was right ,hater’s will always hate .
Mark
Sep 25, 2013 at 2:56 am
No other professional sport accepts calls from the general public reporting a violation of the sport’s rules that was seen during a broadcast. As anyone who has watched instant replay in football knows, video shown in slow motion shows much different detail than the same incident viewed in real time.
In the case of the incident with TW, his viewing angle was quite different than the viewing angle of the camera. Any reasonable person would expect to see the same event in two entirely different ways from these angles. The fact that the PGA or whoever was running the tournament allowed this video to be used to change the outcome of an already rendered ruling is a huge black mark on golf itself (regardless whether TW or some other golfer was involved.)
Mike
Sep 25, 2013 at 9:31 am
absolutely agree with this. if other sports don’t accept public calls especially TV viewer, why should golf??
William E. Rawlinson, Jr.
Sep 24, 2013 at 10:23 pm
I think Tiger has always been on the edge in keeping the rules of golf actually and in the spirit of the game. Golf is now and has always been better to Tiger than Tiger has been to golf. With all the fine young players coming on the scene, golf will continue to be the best sport to watch and to play there is. What other game can be played and enjoyed for a lifetime? Tiger’s ball moved, when he removed that small branch. It matters not how the picture was taken – or if there had been no picture. Tiger should have called a penality on himself. That’s keeping the spirit of the game alive.
Andrew
Sep 24, 2013 at 7:53 pm
The origins of this rule – it’s purpose then is (surely) to prevent a “preferred lie” being created and to prevent a series of nudges to get closer or in the hole.
It isn’t to find a way to penalise a golfer for unintentional fractional movements (hence the oscillation clause).
Given that – the rules do not wish to add strokes of penalty to a player who unintentionally moves his ball for no advantage.
We need to interpret rules and consider their application within these parameters.
99.5% of golfers only have to satisfy their playing partners (card markers) that no infractions have occurred. Tiger has to satisfy pedants with HD lenses whose motive is solely to penalise a tall poppy. This motive is contrary to the spirit of the laws of the game and makes golf unjust.
To me, the movement was barely perceptible, making it very consistent with “oscillation”. If you can’t figure out how to move it back and make it look different to how it currently is, then just agree to call it “oscillation” and move on. Why call a penalty on someone (or insist they call it on themselves) for that?
Carlos
Sep 24, 2013 at 6:26 pm
In the 1958 Masters, Arnold Palmer declared his ball embedded in his own pitch and played for a par3 after a double bogey 5. Ken Venturi was against this play. Palmer marked the 2 scores and Bobby Jones accepted the embedded issue without seeing it. No TV cams. The moral of this story : If you are The King, you are entitled to cheat. Tiger is not the King, yet.
Regis
Sep 24, 2013 at 5:26 pm
Personally I don’t care for Tiger. But I also am getting tired of the increased scrutiny afforded by viewers off the course. However I think a very good purpose is served when no one on the course picks up an obvious rules violation (Tiger’s improper drop at Augusta) when someone calls it in. What I would change is the moved ball rule (oscillating?) I would simply change the rule to read that if a player’s ball is moved inadvertently (by any source-outside agency-wind-caddie-other player-player himself{eg: he stepped on it in the rough}) except during a stroke it shall be replaced as close to possible to its original position. The current grouping of rules( Rules 18,19,23,24.1) are just too confusing and for the strict constructionalist slow up play
Bob
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Let’s see… how much does Tiger make a year playing golf? Guess this is the price of success, just follow the rules Tiger. BTW, the call on him at the Masters was made by the former head of rules at the USGA… who was watching on TV. He’s got all the officials phone numbers anyway.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Remember when Craig Stadler put a towel down under a tree so as to not mess up his $150 pants and it cost him 2 shots. Do you know he could have “taken his pants off.” Yea, he should have taken his pants off in front of millions, do you think he might have proved a point and that rule changed? Some rules are mindless to the point of insanity, sort of like the laws in our judicial system. Some make no sense but some miscreant says, “well, its the law.” This Tiger thing is like beating a dead horse because he “did not” consciously cheat. He knows a camera is on him all the time and yea, he might have felt the ball did not move. It did according to officials but Tiger did not have the luxury of rapid frame HD cameras on his ball and who knows what goes through his mind at the time. It was a bad shot gone worse.
Viewers should “NOT” be able to call in rules violations…period. I guarantee the people who call most real golfers would not even associate with. They are probably A holes.
Doug
Sep 24, 2013 at 1:54 pm
I think its odd that they show photos of him dropping a ball at the masters. It wasn’t TV cameras or a phone in that did him in at the masters it was his post round interview where he stated he dropped the ball in an improper place to gain an advantage. Why wasn’t he disqualified from the Masters? Again another opportunity to say “I made a mistake” show some integrity and gracefully bow out. Nope, not Tiger.
Styles
Sep 24, 2013 at 1:32 pm
It is quite possible that from Tiger’s vantage point looking directly down at the ball he could not see the ball move downward and truly thought it had oscillated (OK by the rules) and not moved at the time. But for him to deny that the ball moved after seeing the video becomes the most telling demonstration of his character. His denial that the ball moved after watching the video can only be interpreted as a bald faced lie when the truth would have worked.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:43 pm
That is my take, I even experimented with it and I’m not sure he had a better view than the HD camera.
Styles
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:17 pm
But Tiger’s denial that the ball moved after watching the video can only be interpreted as a bald faced lie when the truth would have worked……a most telling demonstration of his character.
DCM
Sep 24, 2013 at 12:45 pm
That was the most RIDICULOUS call ever!
The motive behind the rule is that the player doesn’t gain some advantage as a result of the ball movement.
Can any of you tell me how Tiger had an advantage because of the millimeter his ball moved?? NO.
Y’all need to grow up
RB
Sep 24, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Hey Dude, you are completely wrong in this case, since you would need to be standing over the ball and assessing both lies (before and after) to make sure it wasn’t a better lie afterwards. Seems a bit crazy, but even if the ball only moves a quarter of an inch, it could be a much better lie than before. And, at any rate, the rule is clear. It has to be replaced before it is played.
I had this happen in a tournament. I took a practice stroke when my ball was on the fringe, and some debris under my ball moved as a result of the practice stroke. Nobody saw it and there was no advantage gained, but I called a member of the group over, explained what happened, replaced the ball, took a penalty and a bogey and went on. Tiger has no similar ethics when it comes to golf.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:46 pm
If your ball moved ever so slightly how would you know where to replace it, if it moved at all. Perhaps it did not move and you incurred a penalty by calling a penalty on yourself and replacing the ball to another spot it wasn’t. Ask other members of your group if they think the ball moved, if not maybe it did not move and you are hallucinating from all the conjecture in your mind worrying about the rules instead of hitting the damn golf ball like you should have.
Andy Roberts
Sep 24, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Well said/written, Tim Gavrich. One of the (many) great things about golf is that it’s a mirror of one’s character.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:57 pm
I agree but I would never judge a man based on one episode of supposedly cheating but a person who is called out regularly is probably a cheater.
Mat
Sep 24, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Maybe you guys haven’t read your rules lately, but move and oscillate are considered very different. The definition of move here is the ball goes into motion and comes to rest in a different position. Oscillate is to have the ball move but come to rest in the same position.
A ball is allowed to move (strict) assuming its motion was oscillation (def). If the ball moves (def) then it is a penalty.
Personally, once a rules official is called in, THEN there should be no call-in. Incidents where officials are called in to observe and rule should not have them second-guessed by callers. However, if a referee was not involved, the notifications should continue for now.
RB
Sep 21, 2013 at 5:44 pm
The ball moved, he saw it move, and he stopped moving his hand immediately after the ball moved, which only confirms that he saw it move as he stood over it. Not even a question. Watch the video and take a look at when he stops moving his hands (and, of course, the loose impediments). I know we all love to debate, but there is no grey area there, friends. He saw it move and immediately stops moving his hands.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Perhaps he saw it “oscillate.”
M.Coz
Sep 21, 2013 at 12:10 am
Everywhere in life we have to deal with racist idiots with an agenda. Every time there is a TW topic some of them have to show up. Without TW, golf would be a 3rd World sport. substandard income for professionals at every level. As it is club pros still have to fight and scratch. Many do it for the love of the game. Every tour player owes TW a cut of their money because w/o him they would be fortunate to make half of what they do now. I personally know dozens of people who are non-golfers that golf when TW plays that never watched the sport before. (Of course they expect him to win every event.)
Now I have had dinner with TW and Elin. I spent most of the time talking to Elin who I discovered was extremely smart. I like her a lot and non of that has to do with her looks. Also after several “meetings” I am not a fan of TW’s agent Mark Steinberg who is not personable (to say the least). Frankly he comes across as a body guard in public when TW is around. Although he did show a little humbleness at an event a few months after all the sh** hit the fan. Also Butch Harmon is a friend of mine. So I, personally, could actually have a grudge or at least some reservations in regards to TW. But I don’t. I would never consider TW a cheater (on thre golf course!)
But he is going to have more issues because that is what happens to people who are constantly in the Public Eye. The more you are known the more “shots” you have to take, fair or not. None of our “heroes” are bullet proof or perfect except maybe Willie Mays.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:02 pm
I don’t think Tiger is a cheater at all and he has called a penalty on himself before, a year or two ago. As with him being the reason they are making a lot of money, they owe is all to Arnold. They would be making the same money because if not Tiger, someone else would have been the man. Tiger is not charismatic enough but if he was like Arnold, he would probably be the President of planet now.
Fred
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Leftright – good point. And, let’s face it… if Tiger were British like “Sir” Nick Faldo, the Queen wouldn’t have bothered to make him a Night. She would have made him king!
Christian
Sep 27, 2013 at 1:10 am
There isn’t a fact in this universe or any other that would support Tiger not being the reason for the high prize money on tour these days.
J.G.
Sep 20, 2013 at 8:45 am
Ask yourself one question would the game of golf be better without tiger like him or hate him he made golf matter again.
joe
Sep 20, 2013 at 9:41 am
I love watching tiger, but for me, he’s hard to root for.
No story would be good without a villain.
Reg
Sep 20, 2013 at 9:48 am
Golf has always mattered to me, Tiger did nothing to change that. All the pros do to affect my game is to drive the prices up on equipment that I have to buy (they get it for free) because they get so much money to use it.
leftright
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:06 pm
Golf was fine before Tiger and it will be fine after Tiger. There is always someone who steps up. Tiger made everyone else better though because he actually made many of them remove doubt as to their ability. They had to dig for 100% instead of being happy with marginal efforts. He may not have made golf better but I think he made everyone a better golfer who aspired to improve.
Fred
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Unfortunately – and the USGA backs this up – golf is not fine. Attendance and interest is down and fewer people are taking up the game; it’s not a sport that is easy to learn to play well. When Tiger is not playing in an event, viewership is minimal, at best. if you want to call Tiger a “cheater” because he let a ball slip a 6th of an inch and didn’t broadcast it to the world, fine. At least he’s never – to my knowledge – ever thrown a club into a crowded gallery and hurt someone like Bobby Jones did.
B MAC
Sep 20, 2013 at 7:09 am
Tiger woods cheater in life and golf ! Not a great role model !
S5PJM
Sep 20, 2013 at 5:47 am
I am a tiger fan but this incident was a huge missed opportunity for Tiger to show that he has strong integrity. Imagine if that happened and he came walking out of the woods and told the guys he was playing with. “hey guys i know there was no possible way for you to tell from all the way over here but I was just trying to move a loose impediment near my ball and I think it might have moved or osculated .. i need to call a 1 shot penalty on myself” everyone would be admiring his honesty (something he could use some PR help with)and all it would have cost him was one shot .. instead he tried to get away with it and it cost him 2 penalty shots and a ding to his character
Doug
Sep 24, 2013 at 1:49 pm
Exactly right. He has no integrity.
Joe
Sep 19, 2013 at 8:58 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZFG3_o27Uk
Maybe he moved his ball on that one.
Taylor
Sep 19, 2013 at 12:59 pm
If news never broke that he was a bad husband, none of you would have an issue with this. As I mentioned above, He still punched the ball out. It’s not like he was able to put a club on it and knocked it stiff. Put an HD camera on everyone who moves stuff around a ball and let’s see what happens. Golf wouldn’t be where it is today without Tiger, so let’s put the pitch forks and torches away.
They need to pull the plug on answering outside phone calls. It should be like football, if you hit your next shot, then what happened in the past is done. If the ball moves but doesn’t better the condition, then why penalize the golfer.
Dave
Sep 19, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Moving a loose impediment is improving the lie, that’s what he was doing when the ball moved. I agree that Tiger might not have been able to see it move live, but on camera it clearly shifts and he stuck to his story. Tiger didn’t cheat his way to his record, but it does make me wonder if there have been any other times where this may have happened in his career and no one was there to document it. That said, the only level playing field would be to disallow call-in penalties. The example in the article is right on, 0/6 is more equitable than 1/6 on rules infractions just because the 1 is the most scrutinized golfer in the world… I guess you could also argue that if you’re not on TV you’re not playing well and it doesn’t really matter as much, eh?
Fred
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:09 pm
You call the ball moving a 16th of an inch in a pile of brush an improvement in lie?
Jason
Sep 19, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Integrity is what you do when people aren’t watching…..is it surprising that Tiger didn’t call a penalty on himself? Is it surprising that he lacks integrity. If he didn’t think the ball moved is one thing….when shown video that it moved why not just admit you were mistaken. To then go on the attack about how all of your shots are on camera and its not fair for the scrutiny to be directed at him is ridiculous. Hey Tiger you are the best golfer on the planet by leaps and bounds…..of course cameras are pointed at you, that’s why you are a billionaire. Lots of golfers call penaltys on themselves, I’ve had it happen three times this year in tournaments I’ve played in. Everytime nobody in the group saw it and everyone asked are you sure. It’s what real golfers do…..if they break a rule it’s a penalty case closed. I’m not sure how I feel about people calling in a rules infraction but regardless breaking a rule is breaking rule no matter how iris found out.
Steve
Sep 19, 2013 at 3:42 pm
Did you just imply Tiger Woods isn’t a “real golfer”? Lol I’d love to know what a real golfer is then.
Jason
Sep 19, 2013 at 8:25 pm
Sorry you took my “real” golfers comment so seriously…..try not to lose any sleep over it. Hopefully the next time you’re playing golf and one of your buddies has a couple birdies in a row and claims “I’m on fire” you don’t over think it and throw a bucket of water on him.
Bernie
Sep 25, 2013 at 9:11 pm
This made me laugh. Thanks
DB
Oct 13, 2013 at 3:54 pm
hes worth 500 million not a billion step your game up. GOOGLE IT!
nb1062
Sep 19, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Are we now worried about it because the ‘sacred cow’ of the PGA tour doesn’t like that he has been penalized? Personally, I don’t think that they should ever have accepted phone calls. Craig Stadler should never have penalized for kneeling on a towel. No one seemed too worried about it back then. Then again, that was before Tiger Woods invented the game of golf.
Eric
Sep 19, 2013 at 12:01 pm
I hadn’t heard that the video wasn’t even from the telecasts cameras…unbelievable. did that mean that individuals with adv axe to getting can follow players around all day with a camcorder…Will that be allowed at the local club championship.
Personally, the point of golf is for self policing. If the others in the group don’t consider there to be a penalty, there should be no penalty. Period. The officials should be there for clarification of the rules, not to play gotcha.
Fred
Sep 24, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Eric: the videographer was a freelancer shooting for the PGA. It’s interesting to note – at least it is for me – that I can’t recall the last time we’ve seen a situation where a cameraman actually got down on his knees and got a shot of a player’s ball through the brush as he or she was attempting to move an obstruction from behind it. And if the same thing would have happened to Phil Mickelson, would everyone be calling him a “cheater?” I doubt it. One thing’s for certain, though – Tiger and the cameraman did have two entirely different views of the ball.
t
Sep 19, 2013 at 11:35 am
people who don’t cheat should have nothing to worry about. tiger cheated. I’m glad the camera is always on him
Taylor
Sep 19, 2013 at 12:44 pm
You say it like he kicked the ball back into the fairway. The ball moved like a millimeter and I dont even think it really changed its position. I believe he still punched the ball out.
Get off your soapbox.
AlsoStarring
Sep 19, 2013 at 2:52 pm
What I will like to see is a player calling a penalty on himself. As my friends and I do when we play. Is the third time this year Tiger cheats or tries to force the rules to his advantage. Enough to show the kind of player he is. If he was a hcp 25 in my club, nobody will want to play with him.
P
Sep 21, 2013 at 10:57 am
You don’t have to play golf, Taylor.
AJ Jensen
Oct 4, 2013 at 12:02 pm
I agree that the millimeter move of Tiger’s ball in this case did not affect the lie nor his play of the ball. There comes a point when high-profile players are unfairly scrutinized… in court this would be argued as selective prosecution. Either zoom everybody’s ball until contact with the club, or else quit using TV coverage to assess strokes in play.
Johan
Sep 20, 2013 at 7:24 am
He did not cheat, he payed for it. right?
SCT
Sep 21, 2013 at 9:33 am
You stupid people with your pitchforks and rakes need to give it a break there are not any witches here on golf. He might have done like the movie “The Legend Bagger Vance” and called a penalty on himself if he truely thought it moved, but he thought it oscillated. Rules state you can move a loose object without moving your ball, he obviously touched and moved the impediment not his ball the ball moved on its own less than a fraction of an inch. In my eyes and even Walter Hagen the movie said that’s a stupid rule because its an interpretation thing Tiger didn’t intentionally pick up and move the ball so there shouldn’t be a penalty. No one in his group or the rules official with them thought it moved, the TV camera’s didn’t catch it. He still punched it out from the fraction of an inch it moved. There isn’t instant replay in golf, if the official on hand lets a shot happen and no one in his group objects it is a single stroke. (the same with the dropped ball after the pin/water) End of story right there… This calling a penalty hours after something happens is Bull Kaka
P
Sep 21, 2013 at 11:03 am
SCT,
that is the dumbest thing ever said.
The ball moved. Period. He should have admitted to it, scored properly. He did not. Therefore, that is cheating. This is an honorable sport, and he isn’t an honorable person (we all know that by now).
If that ball had been in a hazard, he would not have tried to touch it, or grounded his club to play the shot, or brushed the grass in the backswing or any of those sorts of rule things – therefore abiding by the “Rules” – so why did he tried to get out of this one? The ball MOVED. End of story.
davePet
Oct 15, 2013 at 6:18 pm
the golf channel did a piece on this and moved the ball the same amount and asked people if they had moved it or not, and not one person with their naked eyes could tell it had moved…. So yes it moved when zooned and watched in slow mo but Tiger wouldn’t have known it did…
Another point to this is lets zoom in on ever time a player plays from the rough now. When they ground they club often the ball moves ( or oscilates ) slightly. lets penalize every one not just Tiger
Josh
Sep 23, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Tiger was looking at the ball from above, while the video was shot from the side. So it is possible that he did not notice the ball move downward by a fraction of an inch. From his point of view, the ball did not move.
Christian
Sep 27, 2013 at 1:02 am
I agree with Josh. We see it on HD in a severe closeup and we don’t know what Tiger saw except what he stated. I think from above it may have appeared to oscillate. Anyone saying he knew it moved and cheated is simply assuming or guessing.
gauffe
Sep 24, 2013 at 12:31 pm
golfers who make a living playing the game should attend a USGA/PGA rules of golf seminar every year and learn the rules. the seminar lasts 3.5 days. at least they should send their caddies. Tiger should not have moved a loose impediment so close to his ball and probably wouldn’t have had he known the rules.
GSark
Oct 17, 2013 at 12:17 am
Have you ever hit a ball into a hazard or lost a ball? Have you always replaced a lost ball with the exact same brand that you lost? If not you are a cheat according to the rules of golf. Be wary of name calling.