Rules change spells the end for sofa police
TMO for infractions as viewer call-ins scrapped Signing wrong card will no longer be penalised
Golf ’s infamous armchair vigilante squad has finally been disbanded. In moves which will delight professionals everywhere, the game’s governing bodies have declared they will no longer consider viewer call-ins for rules infractions and will instead introduce the sport’s own version of rugby’s television match official.
A working group led by the R&A and the US Golf Association – and also including representatives from the PGA Tour, European Tour and LPGA Tour – decided not to wait for the 2019 modernisation of the Rules of Golf and introduce this minor overhaul from the start of next year.
So all those viewers who feel obligated to watch tournaments with one hand on the remote control and the other clutching a rules book can now just sit back and enjoy the action.
As well as that change, a new local rule has been announced that will discontinue the penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard when the player was unaware of the violation.
“The message is, as a fan, enjoy watching the game and the best players in the world, but also have the confidence that the committee in charge have the rules handled,” Thomas Pagel, the USGA’S senior director, said.
For all those who are concerned that this will allow the cheats to prosper, from now on at least one official – and, very probably, more at the bigger tournaments – will be assigned to monitor the broadcasts “to help identify and resolve rules issues as they arise”.
The “eye in the sky” will be able to advise the referees on the ground and this should clear up controversies far more quickly than before. And, even though there will inevitably be times when players do get away with violations – whether unwittingly or not – in this of all golfing years that must be welcomed.
The authorities will claim they were looking into this area anyway, but it is difficult not to see a link with the Lexi Thompson saga, which created a furore during and after the ANA Inspiration, the season’s first women’s major, in April.
To recap, the American was on the way to the 13th tee in the final round in California when she was informed that she was being given a four-shot penalty. In that excruciating moment, Thompson went from three strokes ahead to one behind, having been docked two shots for replacing her ball marker in an erroneous position on the 17th green during the previous day’s third round – and another two for signing for an incorrect score. An unnamed viewer had emailed in on Sunday afternoon.
Thompson was in tears, eventually losing in a play-off, and the locker room was unanimous in its disgust at the viewer involvement and the verdict being delivered 24 hours after the violation.
Tiger Woods signalled his dismay on social media, tweeting: “Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes.”
For her part, Thompson has remained adamant that she moved on from the affair quickly, but her reaction to the news yesterday indicated how much it hurt.
“I applaud the USGA and the R&A,” Thompson said. “In my case, I am thankful no one else will have to deal with an outcome such as mine in the future.”
It is not only Thompson, however, who has suffered. Others, such as Padraig Harrington and Camilo Villegas, have seen their own title hopes in recent years blow up because of eagle-eyed viewers flagging up almost imperceptible misdemeanours.
Blessedly, farces such as this should now be avoided, although with golf it rarely works out so smoothly.