rules Never: 32% Under some circumstances: 68% Rule-breakers who think most people break the rule: 99% Rule followers who think most people break the rule: 60% 10. A friend lets you try out a new hybrid on the range, but you forget to remove it from your bag. Midway through your round you realize you’re carrying 15 clubs. No one in your group has noticed. Do you stay silent and keep playing without assessing the proper amount of penalty strokes? Never: 29% Under some circumstances: 71% Rule-breakers who think most people break the rule: 99% Rule followers who think most people break the rule: 56%
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mentioned how costly rules infractions can be for the professional tour player and, although most of us are aware of the Roberto Di Vincenzo incident at the Masters, here are some others that are of interest: DUSTIN JOHNSON, 2010 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Dustin Johnson looked to be headed for a three-man playoff with Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson. However, what he didn’t
know was he had grounded his club in one of Whistling Straits’ 1,000 odd bunkers before his approach shot to the final hole of regulation. Johnson had played from a sandy area outside of the ropes that had been walked through by fans. He was informed of the violation after finishing the hole and the twostroke penalty ended his championship hopes. MORGAN PRESSEL, 2012 SYBASE MATCH PLAY After making a par on the 12th hole of her semi-final match, Pressel appeared to take a three shot lead on Azahara Munoz, but she was informed she would be penalized for slow play. Pressel had taken two minutes and nine seconds to play her three shots on the hole, putting her 39 seconds over the 30-second limit per shot. As a result, the hole was awarded to Munoz, who would go on to win the match and win the tournament. MICHELLE WIE, 2005 SAMSUNG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP As a 16-year-old phenom, Wie made her much ballyhooed debut as a professional at the 2005 Samsung World Championship, but came away empty handed. Wie was
stripped of her fourth-place finish and a check for $53,126 after it was determined that she had taken a drop approximately a foot closer to the seventh hole after hitting a wayward shot into a bush during the third round. The illegal drop warranted a two-shot penalty and should have been added to that day’s score. Since it wasn’t, Wie was disqualified. The player vowed to be more careful after the incident, but has since had a couple more run-ins with the rules, including grounding her club during the final round of the 2010 Kia Classic – a mistake that dropped her from second place to T-6 and cost her roughly $90,000. IAN WOOSNAM, 2001 BRITISH OPEN In the final round of the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Ian Woosnam had a good chance of capturing a second career Major championship. But after birdieing the par-3 first hole to move into the lead by himself, Woosie was informed by caddie Miles Byrne that he had an extra driver in his bag, giving him 15 clubs, one more than the legal limit. Woosnam angrily tossed the extra driver to the ground and proceeded to bogey two of the next three holes. He never recovered,
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finishing third to David Duval. Apparently, neither did Byrne. He kept his job until oversleeping the final round of the Scandinavian Masters two weeks later, leading to him being fired. JACKIE PUNG, 1957 US WOMEN’S OPEN In the 1957 US Women’s Open at Winged Foot, Pung appeared to have beaten Betsy Rawls by a stroke, but she recorded a five instead of a six on the fourth hole of the final round. Although she had signed for the correct total score, Pung was disqualified. So heart-breaking was the result that Winged Foot members and USGA officials took up a collection and presented Pung with more than $2,000, a sum that exceeded the first-prize winnings. PORKY OLIVER, 1940 US OPEN With a potential storm on the horizon, Oliver and five fellow competitors decided to tee off early for their final round at the 1940 US Open. Oliver shot a 71 to get into a playoff with Gene Sarazen and Lawson Little, but didn’t participate in the extra holes since he violated Rule 6-3a/2.5, which basically says you have to start at your designated time.
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