Sanity Reigns - USGA/R&A To Change Rules Post Lexi-Gate

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Sanity and Common Sense take a while to surface, but eventually - sometimes - they get it right...

 

 

 

USGA, R&A set to announce Rules changes in wake of the Lexi Thompson incident at the ANA Inspiration

By 

Ryan Herrington

 

Sources have confirmed to Golf World that the USGA and R&A will announce on Tuesday changes to the Rules of Golf addressing several of the issues that arose following the “Lexi Thompson ruling” at the ANA Inspiration earlier this month.

 

It's unclear what specifically will be announced, but it is expected that the changes will deal with, among other things, how to treat information forwarded to rules officials by fans and TV viewers.

 

During Sunday's final round of the ANA Inspiration, a TV viewer contacted LPGA officials via email with information about a potential rules violation by Thompson that happened during Saturday's third round. When the rules officials reviewed TV footage and determined Thompson had incorrectly replaced her ball on the 17th green after it had been marked, she was accessed four penalty strokes—two for playing from the wrong spot and two for signing an incorrect scorecard. She went from leading the major championship by two strokes to trailing by two, before ultimately losing the event in a playoff to So Yeon Ryu.

 

The changes also might include an early implementation of a proposed Rules change where “the player's reasonable judgement would be upheld even if later shown to be wrong by other information [such as video technology].” This proposal was part of a larger rules modernization plan that the USGA and R&A had announced in March that would potentially got into effect in 2019.

 

Another issue potentially to be addressed on Tuesday is whether certain penalties can be assessed after a player's scorecard has been signed and/or a stipulated round has been finished.

 

After the ANA ruling, leaders of golf's major stakeholders—the USGA, R&A, PGA of America, PGA Tour, LPGA and European Tour—gathered in a closed-door meeting at the Masters to discuss concerns that the entire affair raised and the negative impact it was having on the game. The meeting appears to have spurred the decision from the USGA and R&A to take action to prevent similar future incidents.

 

The changes that will be announced are expected to go into effect immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[josmi15]

I watched that whole tournament, and a big fan of Lexi. The way she clawed back to the force a playoff was great. I don't like the idea of a fan calling an infraction but she needed to be more careful when marking her ball. What I found was TOTALLY egregious was the additional 2 stroke penalty for signing her card with the "wrong" score. She didn't know her score was wrong when she signed it.

 

I truly hope that the rules committee gets it right

 

 

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[mrsmith123]

I feel like "calling in" is ridiculous. If someone wants to call in something they see them so be it. But if the results or a decision are not given before play starts the next day then tough sh!t for the officials. It should be totally outlawed that something which wasn't taken care of during said round could be assessed the next day after play started. That's where golfers and caddies have to do a better job of watching their playing competitors in the group. If a viewer saw it on TV, then someone playing with here or watching live at the course should have too.

 

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[Shankster]

I would like to thank ole gray for starting the conversation on the topic. I believe the USGA and R&A came to MGS to get a review on their rules. We done good everyone!! Thanks ole gray!!

 

 

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[Golfspy_CG2]

Let's hope they get right by eliminating any input at all from TV viewers.

 

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[MDGolfHacker]

Interested to see what the rules say. Hopefully they truly address this issue.

 

MDGolfHacker

[JudgeSmails]

it should be up to fellow competitors, rules officials and the golfer themselves.   I hope they get this right. 

[McaseyM]

Imagine if other sports allowed people to call in, would basketball or football ever finish a game?

I hope the overall plan is to not allow call ins to affect scores. I agree that if the rules official, opponent or their caddy catch something, that it be addressed in a timely manner i.e.- before the next stroke, but I'd guess

few players would call an opponent on a "loose mark" since many may not want it called back on them at some other time.

 

 

 

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