Dustin Johnson and the Bunker at the PGA

On the 72nd hole of yesterday’s PGA Championship, Dustin Johnson paid the very costly price of not knowing the Rules of Play.  The PGA of America went out of their way to ensure players had every possible opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Notice to Players prior to and during the Championship.  The very first item on the sheet was the following:

“All areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers will be played as bunkers (hazards), whether or not they have been raked.  This will mean that many bunkers positioned outside of the ropes, as well as some areas of bunkers inside the ropes, close to the rope line, will likely include numerous footprints, heel prints and tire tracks during the play of the Championship.  Such irregularities of the surface are a part of the game and no free relief will be available from these conditions.”

As Johnson admitted after the round, “Maybe I should have looked to the rule sheet a little harder.”  The video below clearly shows Johnson grounding his club prior to playing his stroke – first to the left of the ball before address and then again just before he strikes the ball.

Rule 13-4 – Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions restricts many of the actions of the player and his caddie when a ball lies in a hazard.  All bunkers and water hazards on the course are hazards under the Rules of Golf.  Specifically Rule 13-4b states that a player must not:

“Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club”

The penalty for a breach of Rule 13-4 is two-strokes regardless of the number of times he grounds his club prior to playing the stroke.  This is explained further in the equity Decision 1-4/12, Principle 3 and in a slightly different scenario in D.1-4/13 where multiple penalties would be applied.

Once the Committee learned of the infraction, there was no choice but to inform Johnson of the penalty he had incurred and the high price he would pay for his oversight.

In addition, Rule 14-2a states:

"A player must not accept assistance or protection from the elements."

Take another look at the video and listen to the exchange just before Johnson addresses the ball.  Decision 14-2/0.5 clarifies that sunlight is an element.  Sources claim this was discussed by the Committee and what Johnson did was not considered a breach of Rule 14-2.  I would suspect a new decision may be in the works to cover this situation.  However, simply reading Rule 14-2a, he not only accepted assistance but sought it out in order to remove the sliver of light behind his ball.

On a personal note, while working amateur competitions, it is both easy and common practice to be present and warn a player when their ball is in a hazard.  I believe this would have likely avoided the incident from happening but as you can see from the video, the final hole of the PGA Championship made communicating with the player much more difficult and the official was tied up with trying to open the gallery to allow Johnson to prepare for and to play his next stroke.  Though it is a very unfortunate ending for Johnson it serves as a perfect example of how important it is for player to know and understand the Rules of Play prior to beginning play in a tournament.

UPDATE 8/17:  In a interview with Bill Fields of Golf Digest the official walking with the group, David Price, did ask Johnson if he needed any help prior to beginning the work on crowd control and Johnson had, mulitple times earlier in the round, asked Price for clarification as to the Rules as they relate to the 1000+ bunkers on the course.

"For Price, the pressing need on the 18th seemed to be getting the large gallery out of Johnson's way so he could play his second shot. "It was very chaotic," Price said. "This was a very difficult situation based on the topography. There was a very high hill, completed filled with people, because once the grandstands on the right side of 18 filled, this was the only place people could see the green from. The hill was filled with people, and the other side of it was very steep, so people couldn't back up and go down. The marshals did the best they could, but there were probably 3,000 or 4,000 people on that hill."

Price left the area around Johnson's ball to walk 30 yards toward the green and help clear a wider gap on the right. Before he walked away, he "asked Dustin if there was anything he needed, if there was anything I could do. I just didn't have any question it was a bunker, and had there been a question, he should have asked before he proceeded. He knew I was there because I already had answered a couple of questions concerning a bunker with him." Johnson played this shot without any asking any questions."

Coincidentally the US Amateur will be conducted next week place in our own back yard at Chambers Bay.  Over two years ago I posted a blog on how the USGA would treat the vast areas of sand throughout the course.  I have been invited to work on the Rules Committee for the upcoming national championship and will be posting throughout the next week as the tournament plays out.

To schedule a free Rules of Golf Presentation at your course of club please contact Craig Winter at the OGA for more information.  Craig Winter serves as the Manager of Rules Education for the OGA and was one of ten officials to achieve a perfect score on the 2010 PGA/USGA Rules of Golf Examination given to over 1200 Officials each year.

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