CHARLES SALE IN AUGUSTA
GOLF’s authorities have got together and agreed a strategy to ensure the sport isn’t embarrassed by another Lexi Thompson incident.
Leading American golfer Thompson lost the first women’s major of last season because of a four- shot penalty imposed after a TV viewer reported her for replacing a ball in the wrong spot on a green.
The fact that an armchair fan had spotted the rules infringement — which led to Lexi retrospectively losing two shots and a further two for signing for the wrong score in the third round — was humiliating for golf’s rulers.
so, the men’s and women’s tours now have officials scrutinising televised golf to ensure any rules breaches missed on course are reported immediately. lIT IS an important week for football with the Champions League quarter-finals and Manchester City having the chance to clinch the Premier League title against Manchester United. But BBC 5 Live, in their wisdom, have sent football correspondent John Murray (right) and commentator Alistair Bruce-Ball to the Masters. The Manchester derby will be called by Alan Green in Murray’s absence. Meanwhile, Colin Montgomerie has priced himself out of an Augusta punditry role with Sky, who set stricter limits now on what they pay for expert analysis… and Monty never won a major. AUGUsTA NATiONAL, who have around 300 members, are yet to make Britain’s Peter Dawson one of their number despite his exceptional credentials. These include 16 years as CEO of the R&A and being president of the international Golf Federation when it brought golf back to the Olympics.
Dawson, 70 this year, believes he is now too old for an invite from golf’s most exclusive club, although Tim Finchem, former commissioner of the PGA Tour, received the call at a similar age.
Dawson is pleased the Rio course built from scratch for the Games is one of the few 2016 facilities still being regularly used.
And there will be no troublesome golf build needed for Japan in 2020, with the competition being held at the established Kasumigaseki Country Club, which has recently voted to admit women as full members. lANOTHER demonstration that Tiger Woods is the only story at the 2018 Masters is that the press conference held by defending champion Sergio Garcia was attended by 43 journalists, while there were around 200 listening to Woods and every seat in the room was filled.