Unbelievable...

I'm sorry, but he got screwed. If you're going to allow thousands of fans to stand and trample on a bunker, it's not a bunker.

:banana::banana:

 

That (at best) was a waste bunker if there every was one.

It could have been worse. Thanks goodness he didn't make the par putt on 18.

:banana::banana:

 

That (at best) was a waste bunker if there every was one.

 

Doesn't matter. The rule concerning waste bunkers has changed. You cannot ground your club in them anymore.

What a closing round, didn't see every second because of the UK pre-game/game. BUT, saw the important/crazy parts. Tough break for Johnson, he did ground his club, but it had no effect on the lie, but rules are rules and it cost him. I feel he would have won the playoff, especially after what happened to the other two on the third playoff hole (18). I thought Bubba messed up big time in choosing where he was going to take his drop from. He left basically zero green to work with, and from that spot across the creek he was allowed to go back further and drop that way he wouldn't have to worry about taking as much off the shot. So in my mind there was at least two better spots in which he could have taken his drop from. Still though, after he put his shot into the bunker, his fifth from the bunker hitting the stick was amazing to watch, I thought he had holed it out. A lot of times that ball would have stuck perfectly inside the cup and pin, but bounced out on him. If the flag was tilted just an half inch forward and Martin would have missed the first put the way he did we may still be playing more golf. None the less great shot by Watson with his back to the wall and almost holed it out. What a wild finish to a major.

Doesn't matter. The rule concerning waste bunkers has changed. You cannot ground your club in them anymore.

 

Then name the darn bunkers so the players know. From the sound of things every where there could be considered a waste bunker. I agree he got screwed.

Edited August 16, 201016 yr by Big East Zebra
correct a word

Doesn't matter. The rule concerning waste bunkers has changed. You cannot ground your club in them anymore.

 

I am not aware of that change. Waste areas are not hazards.

I'm not a golfer. Can someone explain why the "no grounding your club in a bunker" exists? What's the logic?

I am not aware of that change. Waste areas are not hazards.

 

That's what I was thinking. I believe you can ground your club in a waste bunker.

The problem with this course was there was sand everywhere, even mixed in with the grass in the fairways. I can understand how he was unaware of the bunker. I think the officials should have cut him some slack on this one under the circumstances. Heck, people were standing in the bunker and all around it.

I'm not a golfer. Can someone explain why the "no grounding your club in a bunker" exists? What's the logic?

 

It is just a rule. I guess theoretically it is to keep someone from improving the lie of the ball. One could get an idea as to the texture of the surface. One could also alter the surface of the hazard behind the ball, thus providing the clubhead a better line to the ball.

 

That being said, and I hate to blame the caddie, but shouldn't his caddie have known this? They said those areas were at one time waste areas and then designated as regular bunkers. The players were apprised earlier in the week that all areas were bunkers and apparently the ball was sitting on sand. It is just too bad.

It is just a rule. I guess theoretically it is to keep someone from improving the lie of the ball. One could get an idea as to the texture of the surface. One could also alter the surface of the hazard behind the ball, thus providing the clubhead a better line to the ball.

 

That being said, and I hate to blame the caddie, but shouldn't his caddie have known this? They said those areas were at one time waste areas and then designated as regular bunkers. The players were apprised earlier in the week that all areas were bunkers and apparently the ball was sitting on sand. It is just too bad.

 

Thats what I was thinking. The caddie or Johnson should have at least asked a PGA marshall.

I am not aware of that change. Waste areas are not hazards.

 

That's what I was thinking. I believe you can ground your club in a waste bunker.

The problem with this course was there was sand everywhere, even mixed in with the grass in the fairways. I can understand how he was unaware of the bunker. I think the officials should have cut him some slack on this one under the circumstances. Heck, people were standing in the bunker and all around it.

 

I believe they said they changed all waste bunkers on this course to regular bunkers no matter what. It had something to do with Appleby from the 2004 PGA when it was at the same course.

I agree that it was ruled correctly, but the rules official with the group or somebody in charge of the tournament should have cleared every spectator out of the "bunker" when his ball went in it. He had no idea he was in a bunker and that's not something I think tournament officials should want to happen to the person leading on the 72nd hole of a major.

At least it gives something for the folks on ESPN and us to talk about involving golf, besides Tiger's scandal.

I believe they said they changed all waste bunkers on this course to regular bunkers no matter what. It had something to do with Appleby from the 2004 PGA when it was at the same course.

According to the official a rules list is posted before every tournament to identify any nuances of the course being played. He said the number 1 item on this weeks list was the staus of the bunkers. He said the communication to the golfers was that any time a ball was sitting on any sand, anywhere on the course it was to be played as a bunker. Johnson even stated that perhaps he should have looked at the rules list a little more closely. The correct ruling was made.