Quote:
Originally Posted by ajbrown
I feel bad for DJ (and after his Sunday at the US Open no less), but he and his caddy should have been aware of this rule. This rule was very different than most tournaments. This rule was so different that the players should have been suspicious of any sandy area and ASKED an official if they were unsure.
That said, IMO the USGA should have made these "out of play bunkers" waste areas; but since they did not I see no other way they could have ruled here.....
PS. Sorry for my part in hijacking the thread. |
I think the reason they did
not do this is because then a questionable bunker would have to have been left to the discretion of an official. Such a call then would have been controversial no matter what. That's exactly why they made the local rule that all original bunkers regardless of their condition would be treated as bunkers. That way, there was no discretion by the official. He made the only call that could be made given the local rule for the tournament.
Remember, the officials did not look at the replay to determine whether the area in question was a bunker. They looked at it to make sure DJ grounded his club. The bunker was fuzzy. The local rule was clear.
Oh yes, this was not subject of this thread, was it? Me sorry 2.