The USGA could screw up a wet dream...
PM: DQ or +2?
MidwayJ well, he intentionally hit a moving ball
. Post round would have been a perfect opportunity to use his proven sharp tongue, instead we get his poor example of sportsmanship and his figjam spin to illustrate a point. I don't think it hurts his image much because the usga is the bigger villain here. But it was still chicken sh1t by Figjam!
johnnydoom However, given the circumstances, it also clearly wasn’t to gain a competitive advantage
I applaud Phil for his stance on pace of play.
DC300 I struggle with this, I know it was out of frustration and rightfully so. I think the statement was made to force the USGA to deal with more drama.
He had zero time to contemplate any rules advantage after he hit the putt. He reacted out of frustration.
However, he had lots of time to formulate a response after the round.
To me, his response was a "double dare ya" to the USGA to DQ him.
His comments pre-tournament suggest he was already antagonistic towards them and "knew" they would screw up.
He was right about the screw up, imo.
a player uses the rules of golf to their advantage....wow , what a shocker......like this doesn't happen multiple times every week.
Phil could've simply taken an unplayable, wherever his ball ended up. He could've gone back to within a club-length of where he putted, probably gotten out of that hole with a 9 or a 10 at-worst doing so.
It wasn't about speeding up play. They were in position. The guys up ahead were struggling with the conditions just like they were. Even had he decided to not declare the ball unplayable and played it from where it would've ended up - they still wouldn't have been put on the clock. So the slow-play thing just doesn't jive.
He wanted to make a statement. And he did. And I think he'll regret his actions looking back on it.
Phil has a very narrow window of opportunity to achieve the career grand slam. In his mind he probably thinks the USGA and their trickery has it out for him, that they don't want him to win their tournament. If he's that upset with the organization - simply don't play. And honestly - I wouldn't blame him if he decided to not play any more US Opens. I think boycotting the event would be a much better statement than him making an ass out of himself as he's trying to make an ass out of the USGA.
I'm sure he was frustrated, but he would be the last person I would expect to protest the setup in such a way.
He had options. He just lost it, and then tried to act like he was smarter than everyone else when he was called out for it.
And it backfired.
- Edited
From Rule 14-5.....
(Ball purposely deflected or stopped by player, partner or caddie - see Rule 1-2)
From Rule 1-2.....
A player must not (i) take an action with the intent to influence the movement of a ball in play or (ii) alter physical conditions with the intent of affecting the playing of a hole.
and.....
Penalty for Breach of Rule 1-2:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.
In the case of a serious breach of Rule 1-2, the Committee may impose a penalty of disqualification.
2 stroke penalty either way, BUT.......how is "serious beach" determined? Admitting that you did it on purpose and knowing that it was illegal????
Their decision was made too quickly. If it was about a moving ball(in the past), it usually took them 3-4 holes to let the player know.
It's over now, no going back, check in the bank!
But TW is a cheat!??
Dude come on...
That’s a lot funnier now then when it first came out.
Yeah, and if he knew the rule was 13-1, how did he not know that hitting a moving ball was a two-stroke penalty? LOL
Maybe Phil will start smoking and hanging out with John Daly
I am in the camp of the 2 stroke. The USGA seems to deem Phil made a stroke at moving ball that did hit the cup and continue on, not just go somewhere off to the side.
I think the USGA should get Phil to do another rule video, this one showing the infraction he did, show how each of the rules would have come into play. Also the option of an unplayable lie should be included.
For me the unplayable lie was something hadn't thought of and I have had several occasions where I could have used it. I can see now instead of having the steep side down hill putt that is going to run off the green and down 5 to 10 yards, I can take a penalty and the from the original spot move it two club lengths and now have what could be an uphill putt.
I think too much is being made of it.
Martee For me the unplayable lie was something hadn't thought of and I have had several occasions where I could have used it. I can see now instead of having the steep side down hill putt that is going to run off the green and down 5 to 10 yards, I can take a penalty and the from the original spot move it two club lengths and now have what could be an uphill putt.
Too bad these guys(players) really do not know all the rules. Imagine how many times this could have been used to great advantage/gain, esp. on Sat..
Personally, I think Rule 1-2 should apply in situations such as this regardless of whether the player "makes a stroke" or not. The intent is to stop the ball. But it appears the precedent was set already with the John Daly incident.
There were three scenarios that Phil had to choose from in that situation Saturday.
The first scenario was to play the ball as it lied, after it came to rest, after ramming his initial putt well beyond the hole. Then, if he felt obligated to hold the USGA accountable in his post-round comments - do so. That would've been ideal imo.
The second scenario would've been to simply declare his ball unplayable after the initial putt, go back to where he last struck the ball on the putting green, and with the penalty and 2-club margin of relief under the situation - perhaps saved himself at least a stroke or two. Which likewise would've been fine. And, perhaps, made him look smarter than the USGA in doing so. All within the rules.
The third scenario was to do what he did. Which, imo, was part frustration/part premeditated, in wanting to make the USGA look like the villains.
Except in doing what he did - it backfired.... he basically took the fallout and significantly softened the outcry that should've been explicitly directed toward the USGA and their setup. What he did became a bigger story than the lack of discretion from the USGA regarding setup and hole locations on several holes during a dry and windy afternoon.
Rickie Fowler needed 19 fewer strokes on Sunday (65) than he did on Saturday (84). That is just asinine. But here we are talking about Phil and his idiotic decision to try to 1-up the USGA.
Phil's actions ended up casting a huge shadow over the incompetencies of Mike Davis and his USGA cronies. That's the wort aspect in all of this.
Interesting Phil supposedly offer to Saturday evening to Mike Davis to withdraw. Davis assured Phil he was well within the rules.
Granted the 63 shot was very worthy of conversations for years to come. Double winner, sorry I think Saturday made the championship less than what it should be.
PA-PLAYA The second scenario would've been to simply declare his ball unplayable after the initial putt, go back to where he last struck the ball on the putting green, and with the penalty and 2-club margin of relief under the situation -
You would not get the 2 club relief if going back to original point. (??)