Rules/Numbers

Competing in the 1996 Metropolitan Amateur at Bellerive, David Lucks loses his tee shot to the right on the par-4 11th and - with help from his caddy the Ol’ Bogeyman - cannot say for certain if the ball went in the water hazard. Lucks plays another ball from the tee under the water hazard Rule, this time ripping it left and finding prime position in the fairway. But moments later, he finds his original ball outside the water hazard. Under the Rules of Golf, what should he do? 1. Employ the the mulligan he purchased at the MAGA scoring tent before the round and pronounce his second ball is in play. 2. Assess himself a two-stroke penalty and play his original ball, taking time to berate his caddy. 3. Invoke the “no-harm, no-foul” statute and instruct the Bogeyman to pick up the second ball. There is no penalty and his original ball is in play. 4. Go ahead and continue to play his second ball. The orginal ball is lost under a penalty of stroke and distance.

The original ball is lost under penalty of stroke and distance - as per Rule 27-1a and the Definition of “Lost Ball.” Lucks should proceed according to No. 4, the correct answer. He should also fire his caddy, dismiss his chances of winning the championship and talk to an instructor about his inconsistent swing under the pressure of competition. 20 The number of playoff losses Kathy Whitworth absorbed in her career. Whitworth is one of the all-time greats, with at least one win in 22 LPGA seasons. But if you got her into a playoff, you had a chance. Her overtime record was 6-20. 3,500 The number of calories Bryson DeChambeau consumes on a daily basis. The PGA Tour standout went from 195 pounds in late 2019 to some 240 pounds when the PGA Tour resumed play this summer. “I can eat whatever I want,” DeChambeau explained, and then ate the microphone. No, just kidding. 1.50 The price of a pimento cheese or egg salad sandwich at Augusta National Golf Club during Masters week. The beloved April championship was postponed this year because of the pandemic, but a tentative re-schedule date of Nov. 12-15 remains in tact. . 120 The number of players who exceeded $1 million in earnings on the PGA Tour money list during the 2018-19 season. Checking in at 120 was Aaron Baddeley, who made $1,005,982.

66 The record for the lowest finalround score in the MAGA Amateur, carded by Brian Craig in the 2010 championship at Meadowbrook Country Club. The 5-under-par score included seven birdies and two bogeys, and wasn’t qiite good enough. Craig finished tied for second, one shot behind winner Eli Grant. Perhaps lightning will strike again in 2020, as the 30th playing of the championship is scheduled for Aug. 6-8, back at Meadowbrook.