News
Patrick Reed slapped with a 2-stroke penalty for moving sand in waste bunker
Overnight leader Patrick Reed incurred a two-stroke penalty after twice moving sand from behind his ball on the 11th hole at the Hero Challenge during Friday’s round.
The contentious incident was caught on camera as Reed took practice swings before executing the shot on the par-5. You can make your mind up by watching the video below.
Reed incurred a general penalty (two strokes) under Rule 12-3 for improving his lie which was assessed following his round – changing his score of bogey six on the hole to a triple-bogey eight.
Following his round, Reed spoke to the media where he claimed that it was the camera angle which made it look as if he had improved his lie.
“It’s unfortunate because even though they weren’t, I wish they were actually directly on the side of me, because it was in a pretty good footprint but the footprint was a full footprint, and I felt like my club was that far behind the ball when I was actually taking the practice strokes which I felt like I was taking it up and it was obviously hitting a little sand.
I didn’t feel it drag, but then when they brought it up to me it definitely did drag some of the sand and because of that it’s considered a two-stroke penalty. I didn’t feel like it really would have affected my lie, I mean every time I get in the bunker I’m scared to even get my club close to it, it was that far away, but whenever you do that if it does hit the sand, just like if you’re in a hazard area and you take a practice swing and it brushes grass and the grass breaks, it’s a penalty.
So because of that and after seeing the video, I accept that, and it wasn’t because of any intent, I thought I was far enough away. I think with a different camera angle they would have realized that if it was from the side you would have seen that with the backswing it was not improving the lie because it was far enough away from the golf ball. But after seeing that camera angle, because it brushed the sand it was a penalty.”
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludwig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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News
Morning 9: Aberg: I want to be No. 1 | Rory’s management blasts ‘fake news’ reports
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News
Masters 2024: Reduced-scale clubhouse trophy and green jacket to Scottie Scheffler
In the world of golf, there is Scotty and there is Scottie. Scotty Cameron gave the world of golf a nickname for a prestigious putter line, and Scottie Scheffler has now given the golf world a blueprint for how to negotiate one of the toughest tournaments to win. Sunday, Scheffler won the Masters tournament for the second time in three years. He separated from the field around the turn, making a trio of birdies at holes eight through 10. On the long walk home, he added three more birdie at 13, 14, and 16, to secure a four-shot win over Masters and major-championship rookie Ludvig Åberg.
On No. 7, Ludvig Åberg makes birdie to move into a tie for second place. #themasters pic.twitter.com/ZSjcOr9OQK
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2024
As the final group moved along the ninth hole, a quadrilateral stood at 7 under par, tied for the lead. Scheffler, playing partner Collin Morikawa, and penultimate pairing Max Homa and Åberg advanced equally toward Amen Corner, with the resolution of the competition well in doubt. Morikawa flinched first, getting too greedy (his words) at nine and 11. Double bogey at each dropped him farther back than he wished, and he ultimately made a 10-foot putt for bogey at the last, to tie for third position.
Ludvig Åberg made the next mistake. Whether he knew the Ben Hogan story about the approach into 11 or not, he bit off way more than he should have. His approach was never hopeful, and ended short and right in White Dogwood’s pond. Åberg finished the hole in six shots. To his credit, he played the remaining seven holes in two-under figures. Finally, Max Homa was the victim of the finicky winds over Golden Bell, the short, par-3 12th hole. His disbelief was evident, as his tee shot flew everything and landed in azaleas behind the putting surface. After two pitch shots and two putts, Homa also had a double bogey, losing shots that he could not surrender.
Why? At the ninth hole, Scottie Scheffler hit one of the finest approach shots of all time, into the final green of the first nine. Scheffler had six inches for birdie and he converted. At the 10th, he lasered another approach shot into a tricky hole location, then made another fine putt for birdie. Within the space of 30 minutes, Scheffler had seized complete control of the tournament, but Amen Corner still lurked.
Scottie Scheffler is back in sole possession of the lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/MGytXpJcXH
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2024
At the 11th, Scheffler played safely right with his approach. His chip shot was a wee bit too brave and left him a seven-foot comeback putt for par. He missed on the right side and gave one shot back to the course and field. His tee ball on 12 was safely aboard, and he took two putts for par. On 13, the 2022 champion drove slightly through the fairway, then reached the green, with his first two shots. His seventy-foot-plus putt for eagle eased up, four feet past the hole. His second putt went down, and he was back in the birdie zone. As on nine, his approach to 14 green finished brilliantly within six inches. His final birdie came at the 16th, where he negotiated a nine-foot putt for a deuce.
Leader by four with two to play. #themasters pic.twitter.com/KcoilYExDr
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2024
Scheffler reached 11 under par and stood four shots clear of Ludvig Åberg when he reached the 18th tee. His drive found the lower fairway bunker on the left, and his approach settled in a vale, short and right of the green. With dexterous hands, Scheffler pitched to three feet and made the putt for par. With a big smile, he embraced caddie Ted Scott, who won for the fourth time at Augusta National, and the second with Scheffler. Ludvig Åberg finished alone in second spot, four back of the winner. Not a bad performance for the first-time major championship participant Åberg, and not a bad finish for the world No. 1 and second-time Masters champion, Scottie Scheffler.
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Rich Douglas
Dec 9, 2019 at 6:59 pm
It was a waste bunker, not a penalty area. So one question wasn’t whether he touched the sand, but whether or not he improved his lie.
He did. That means the penalty.
The bigger question is whether or not he knew it at the time. The answer to this gets at his integrity. Breaking a rule isn’t unethical, but knowing you did and not reporting it is.
I’ll answer the second question with my own question: How could he NOT know after doing it TWICE?
DB
Dec 9, 2019 at 8:31 am
LOL I don’t buy his story at all. His club was nestled right up against the ball. He’s not even good at lying.
Ardbegger
Dec 8, 2019 at 2:19 pm
That was Reed’s rep back in college. Old habits die hard.
FairwayFraud
Dec 7, 2019 at 11:30 am
This is unreal. Reminds me of when my bud Patrick used his dirty cords to clean his ball and then proceeded to put it back in a better lie.
V
Dec 7, 2019 at 1:44 am
Either way, the new rules never should have allowed any grounding of the club in a hazard. This rule should be overturned back to what it used to be, no grounding allowed whatsoever in any kind of hazard.
Joey D
Dec 7, 2019 at 11:35 am
It wasn’t a hazard!
R
Dec 7, 2019 at 5:14 pm
You don’t play golf obviously
Joey D
Dec 7, 2019 at 7:31 pm
R – Apparently you are not capable of comprehending what ‘V’ said – calling it a hazard. It is not a hazard! That is a fact!!!
DougE
Dec 9, 2019 at 12:22 pm
Waste bunkers are not hazards. Grounding club has always been legal in them. But you were never allowed to improve a lie anywhere on the course other than when a local rule permits it or it’s a lift/clean/place round by choice of the committee.
HumanLabRat
Dec 7, 2019 at 12:01 am
I did this all day today.???? Kicked my ball, moved it, bumped it, played a second ball,etc. Hadn’t played in months because of an arm injury and trying to get my game back. Don’t worry it was only a practice round and no posting, tournament, match, or playing for money.????????
The Taint
Dec 6, 2019 at 10:40 pm
He learned this absurd behavior from his idol Eldrick.
Dan Carraher
Dec 6, 2019 at 9:20 pm
Patrick Reed should have done what fake nice guy cheater Matt Kuchar did and just use his fingers to pick as much sand away as he pleased. No penalty for cheater Kuchar…
Russell
Dec 7, 2019 at 11:39 am
Dan: You are correct about Matt Kuchar – he is a fake nice guy and he is a known cheater. Pretty worthless guy for those that really (REALLY) know him…
James
Dec 7, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Don’t forget cheater Rory McIlroy for standing on a cart path and pretending he was going to swing through a tree to try to get a drop at WGC Mexico.
Poley
Dec 6, 2019 at 8:46 pm
He just got caught, does not surprise anyone. Accidental or intentional — Give me a break – he should get 2 years.
jay jones
Dec 6, 2019 at 6:09 pm
Twice, blatant. Unfair to the other players.
…and a Reed pattern.
Ray Rones
Dec 6, 2019 at 6:25 pm
…and something jay jones does every week at the local pitch and putt, thus his vanity handicap.
jay jones
Dec 6, 2019 at 6:45 pm
phhh…but I make sure I’m not on camera.
Iain Gold
Dec 6, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Why would the camera angle change anything. He moved sand making a practice swing directly behind the ball and that was his intended swing direction, thus he improved his lie.
T
Dec 7, 2019 at 1:42 am
Because he’s saying that the clubhead wasn’t directly behind the ball, that it was a good few inches away, as opposed to the camera angle that made it look closer.