News

Tour pro DQ’d from Honda Classic after his green-book was deemed too big under the new rules of golf

Published

7 years ago

Mar 1, 2019

While Thursday’s opening round of the Honda Classic saw Rickie Fowler poke some fun at the rules of golf in an amusing way, it also saw a disqualification which has the unfortunate title of being the first DQ of its kind since the updated rules of golf came in to play.

Alex Cejka is the professional in question, who was deemed to have been using a green-book which did not adhere to the new rules of golf. Cejka had been using last year’s green-book for the Honda Classic throughout the opening round, which contained larger scales of diagrams of the greens than are now allowed on the PGA Tour.

Following the DQ, PGA Tour rules official Robby Ware who informed Cejka of the decision after his 14th hole of the day, stated (per a Golfweek report)

“It was brought to the committee’s attention that Alex might possibly be using some old greens reading materials. Alex was basically using an old yardage book and old greens reading materials that did not fit the size to scale limit. He knew he was using an old book. He told me that. I don’t know that he was completely understanding of what the scale limits are.”

The issue was brought to Cejka’s attention by playing partner Cameron Tringale who noticed the old green-book which the 48-year-old was using, and the latter then called in an official.

Speaking after completing his round, Tringale said

“I saw it and told my caddie. I mentioned it to (Cejka) but was unfamiliar how exactly to proceed. I told the first official I saw what I had seen. I was perplexed. That doesn’t look right. Did I really see that? When we finished the 14th hole, I went to use the bathroom and when I came out I saw (Cejka) riding off in a cart.”

Interestingly, the green-reading book which Cejka had been using during the opening round detailed the greens of PGA National before they were re-vamped following last year’s Honda Classic.

Cejka was level par for his round, and before his DQ, the longest putt he made was from 8′ 6″ on his third hole of the day. Tringale and Palmer completed their opening round of the Honda Classic as a two ball, finishing their rounds one-under par and level par respectively.

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31 Comments

Dan Powers

Mar 1, 2019 at 7:33 pm

So the guy who made the report just happened to go to the bathroom when the rules official shows up? Riiiiiight.

Reply Report comment
Seth Riser

Mar 1, 2019 at 5:08 pm

USGA has nothing better to do than turn golf courses into goat tracks and dream up goofy rules. That’s does it – I’m giving my tour card back.

Reply Report comment
Brad

Mar 1, 2019 at 4:40 pm

Hello PGA, it’s reality calling. Time to dump your decrepit and extremely out of touch friend the USGA. They are destroying you with their bad ideas and senile decision making. Save yourself before it’s too late…

Reply Report comment
Tiger Noods

Mar 1, 2019 at 3:43 pm

Another USGA farce.

What should have happened is like all tournaments, they should provide a book. Every morning, they should provide a pin sheet. All players can work off of those books, because they are the size they are, and players don’t need to bring their own. In fact, on course, they should all be given a “standard”, and they all work from that if they choose.

Personally, I’d like to see them have lasers so the caddies don’t have to do so much math.

Reply Report comment
Terry Johnson

Mar 1, 2019 at 2:21 pm

Pros are playing for so much money they have gotten slower and slower reading books of info,taking everything like wind,conditions,slope, grain,mountains. Eliminate books get electric caddies and let the players figure the conditions like the average golfer. All the aids these pros have today just slow the play down. Give the player a laser and a bag of clubs. Let them figure all this info out with the brain that god gave them and give them a set time to make a shot. Wake up.

Reply Report comment
dixiedoc

Mar 1, 2019 at 11:52 am

The rules are the rules. In any other sport when the rules are changed every professional is aware and either complies or is penalized. It doesn’t take long to read the new rules. If he or his caddie didn’t then they are the ones who are at fault not the USGA. Yes, it’s the USGA that makes the rules not the PGA so don’t blame them.

Reply Report comment
Dave r

Mar 1, 2019 at 11:31 am

Why not just play golf? I used to watch golf on a Thursday to sun . Now I watch the highlights on sports net.the stuff that goes on the course is mind blowing. Yardage books ,green books, balls with lines, some players taking what seems like a month to figure out the wind , slope, elevation, uphill downhill, clouds going the wrong way, the grass is wet or dry. Now add in the new rules you lost me . Can’t wait for the highlites on sports net. These rules officials have ruined the game how about speeding up play there’s a thought you should discuss. When you do I’ll start to watch again, until then have a lovely day.

Reply Report comment
- frank cichon
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 12:18 pm
  
  I agree with you 100 per cent. I would like to see a Tour where the player can use range finders, but the first player has say 45 seconds to hit and the next 40. If you hit it off the fairway you get NO FREE RELIEF PERIOD. YOU HIT IT THERE, YOU PLAY IT! If winds are an issue Tough…same for everybody …rub of the green. Each group could have 2 scorers and time every player. No green books …..some guys take as long as 15 seconds just to pick up their marker because the LINE on the ball is not aligned right. Int is PAINFUL to watch. IF I watch any golf it is with my PVR…but your idea of just watching the sports on the 11 pm news has just saved me several hours per week .Thank!
  
  Reply Report comment
  - bob carroll
    
    Mar 1, 2019 at 8:22 pm
    
    sounds like european golf.played the old course, foursome on every hole, your butt better be thru in 3 1/2 hours, no exceptions.
    
    Reply Report comment
- D
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 2:02 pm
  
  Yeah but I bet you sit there on your fat arse watching 4 NFL matches on Sunday though, huh
  How many dumb rules does that game have? It still uses the yardage chain ffs
  
  Reply Report comment
  - beer belly bob
    
    Mar 1, 2019 at 2:26 pm
    
    What is an NFL match? Is that something you watch while sipping tea and eating crumpets?
    
    Reply Report comment
JP

Mar 1, 2019 at 10:56 am

And he pays his caddie how much? Shouldn’t he know the rule too?

Reply Report comment
Joe

Mar 1, 2019 at 10:51 am

Sue them under the ADA that he can’t use the new smaller books because he can’t read them… What a farce….

Reply Report comment
- Mower
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 1:55 pm
  
  I had to re-read that headline – what the actual f*$#@?
  The green-reading book is too big or it’s last year’s version… why is this a f*#$@ issue? Who needs to be punched in the face for making this a rule?
  
  Reply Report comment
dat

Mar 1, 2019 at 10:45 am

Incredibly stupid all around. Golf is becoming a real pain to watch on TV with all of these stupid rule changes. Constantly mentioning them, let alone the enforcement of them, is distracting from the actual game.

Reply Report comment
Drew

Mar 1, 2019 at 9:44 am

Why does information not have a place in the game?

Reply Report comment
- Brian
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 1:19 pm
  
  Because reading a green is supposed to be a skill. Mapping every contour of the green in a book should be outlawed.
  
  Reply Report comment
jeff

Mar 1, 2019 at 9:36 am

Tringale the snitch

Reply Report comment
Ray

Mar 1, 2019 at 9:08 am

Pretty funny that what he was DQ’d for was a out of date green book since they changed the greens after last year’s Honda Open. How much did they change because it certainly shouldn’t have been helping him, right?

Reply Report comment
Travis

Mar 1, 2019 at 9:04 am

Just be done with green books altogether. Be done with lines on the golf ball too for that matter. Green reading and aiming your putt (just like aiming all other shots in golf) should be a skill.

On the greens is the most significant area of the game the USGA can speed up play for Pros and Ams.

Reply Report comment
- aplynam
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 9:12 am
  
  Let’s just do away with greens altogether and putt to a hole dug out with a spade by the “greens” keeper.
  
  Reply Report comment
- sal
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 12:33 pm
  
  I agree, totally. Make the game pure again and speed it up before golf is gone.
  
  Reply Report comment
youraway

Mar 1, 2019 at 8:48 am

The Rule on greens reading material should be even stronger and a good decision was rendered, he should receive a DQ penalty. Oh yes, a professional would’t want to actually understand the Rules of the game they play, would they?

Reply Report comment
alexdub

Mar 1, 2019 at 8:46 am

Classless move by Tringale, IMO. Turning in someone for such a minor (and new) infraction goes against the spirit of the rules of golf. This is not even remotely close to something that you “call in an official” for. Let the round complete and talk to the committee afterwards if you’re that bent up about it.

Reply Report comment
DB

Mar 1, 2019 at 8:44 am

This is actually a good rule change. Tired of seeing players unfold their intricately detailed green-reading map before making a putt. Study that stuff before the round if you want, but it has no place in actually playing the game. Glad they are enforcing this rule.

Reply Report comment
- Joe
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 10:54 am
  
  Serious question, I’d be curious if before the round started they could mark up a pin location sheet with slopes near the hole…
  
  Reply Report comment
Jerome

Mar 1, 2019 at 8:40 am

Tringale is a NARC!

USGA rules are a joke!

Warriors blew a 3-1 LEAD!

Reply Report comment
- Connor
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 11:47 am
  
  This made me LOL
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Moses
    
    Mar 3, 2019 at 9:23 am
    
    NARC? More like a RAT
    
    Reply Report comment
Erik Morden

Mar 1, 2019 at 7:22 am

This is just another example of the PGA worrying about small things like a caddy standing behind a player before he lines up for his shot or the distance a player drops a ball. Why are we not seeing stories about PGA officials clamping down on players that take a lifetime to take a shot? If they are so worried about these new rules why don’t we start enforcing the time limit rules?

Reply Report comment
- kevin
  
  Mar 1, 2019 at 8:40 am
  
  having a caddie line up the player isn’t a small thing. it was a time waster and an awful look.
  
  dropping from knee height is dumb and an equally dumb look. i get the intent of the rule, and its still dumb. the difference in height will affect a handful of drops over the course of the season.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

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