News
Brutal penalty crushes European Tour hopeful’s Q-School dreams
On Monday, while attempting to forge his way into the Q-School final stage, young European Tour hopeful Gian-Marco Petrozzi suffered a penalty which ultimately cost him the chance of competing in a playoff for an alternate spot.
The incident took place on the 18th hole at Las Colinas Golf & Country Club in Spain, where, while preparing for his approach shot which needed to be played over a bunker, the 21-year-old walked through the bunker and then raked his footprints in the sand before playing his second shot. Petrozzi was deemed to have improved his line of sight, breaching Rule 13-2, which carries a two stroke penalty.
Petrozzi had fired five birdies in his last six holes, in a round which also included a hole in one on his eighth hole of the day, and he walked off the 18th green believing he had shot a round of 65 which would have earned him a place in a playoff for an alternate spot. However, after being assessed the penalty, Petrozzi signed for a 67 which dashed all hopes of making the Q-School Final Stage.
Speaking about the incident on social media, the Englishman spoke about the “tough lesson” he had learned and explained how he was unaware that he was involved in any wrongdoing at the time.
— Gian-Marco Petrozzi (@GianPetrozzi55) November 5, 2018
Rule 13-2, which Petrozzi invoked, states that a player must not improve his line of play by:
- pressing a club on the ground,
- moving, bending or breaking anything growing or fixed (including immovable obstructions and objects defining out of bounds),
- creating or eliminating irregularities of surface,
- removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots or other cut turf placed in position, or
- removing dew, frost or water.
The Q-School Final Stage takes place from November 10-15 at Lumine GC in Spain.
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News
Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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John Hall
Nov 10, 2018 at 12:34 am
Speaking as an Englishman, I would like to remark on the way he took stoic ownership of his infraction, unlike another very recent female golfer.
Keith
Nov 9, 2018 at 2:52 pm
Well, if he raked a straight line from the green to his ball position, he did create a guide, and did violate the rules.
Paul
Nov 9, 2018 at 2:08 pm
These are the types of issues that make golf look completely ridiculous.
David Roberts
Nov 9, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Really in this day and age get rid of these antiquated rules and bring the game into the 21st century.
RAT
Nov 9, 2018 at 11:57 am
Wow! tough but I think unless it’s improving his footing or marking a line by using his footprints this should have be a no harm no foul
Bill
Nov 9, 2018 at 11:54 am
So then… what the rules are also saying is that anyone walking ahead of their ball to get a better look at their target is committing the same infraction if there is dew on the ground?? I’m sure that’s been done countless times even on tour.
I think what is missing in the rules is “intent.” If the rules included that, he would have to have intended to improve his line which is clearly not the case because he would have no reason to hit it in the bunker.
John Hall
Nov 10, 2018 at 12:24 am
Bill, I’m usually a real stickler for the rules (If you don’t have rules, you don’t have a game) but I really like your idea of “intent”. I’m surprised no-one’s suggested it before, as far as I know.
SaiDaiOh
Nov 9, 2018 at 2:23 am
Lesson learnt: Never rake a bunker yourself during a tournament
Tiger Noods
Nov 8, 2018 at 5:11 pm
Can someone verify that this would not be a 2019 penalty?
Geoffrey Holland
Nov 8, 2018 at 12:45 am
“Petrozzi was deemed to have improved his line of sight, breaching Rule 13-2, which carries a two stroke penalty.”
Line of play, not sight you nimrods.
Nice proofreading.
Jim
Nov 7, 2018 at 3:09 pm
Dang thats rough! I never would have known NOT to do that and ive only been playing this game for 25 years. What i interpret here is he was just putting the bunker around him back to its original state where he found his ball.
How can you improve your line/sight by raking a bunker?? I honestly dont understand that.
Though there are 3 sides to every story and we really arent being told if by doing so it actually improved his line/shot.
ScoFF
Nov 7, 2018 at 7:15 pm
IF he had hitten a fat shot and throw the ball into the bunker, He would have had improved his line/shot.
Jim
Nov 7, 2018 at 11:34 pm
Ohh Gotcha. That makes sense. Thank you!
SaiDaiOh
Nov 9, 2018 at 2:25 am
In what way? He is not playing in that bunker yet. Returning to its original state should not be penalized at that stage.
SaiDaiOh
Nov 9, 2018 at 4:11 am
This ruling is outright stupid. He should have filed a complaint against that ruling, for his tour card he worked so hard for and for every aspiring golfer.
Like
Nov 9, 2018 at 12:07 pm
He was playing for a playoff to the alternate spot to the final stage of Q school. Unlikely he got a spot in that tournament much less his tour card.
RaytheRules
Nov 11, 2018 at 4:14 pm
It may be that he had a blind shot and went to view the pin position. He would then walk a straight line back to his ball through the bunker. If he then rakes the bunker to indicate the line for his approach – then he could incur a penalty. That is how I interpret the ruling.