Just minutes ago, at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island, New York, superstar Phil Mickelson very uncharacteristically hit a putt on a green past the hole that was going to speed up going downhill, and perhaps roll off green, and Phil ran to the moving ball and hit it back at the hole, past the hole. He then two putted from there. At the moment, it was unknown whether he made an 8 or a 9. But I thought that’s disqualification. I could be wrong.
I believe it is a two stroke penalty to hit a moving ball. But when that is done, I thought the Rules of Golf require that the player must then replay the shot from where he or she hit the moving the ball. If you do what Phil did, continue playing, I thought that is disqualification for improperly playing. Apparently, I’m wrong because U.S.G.A. officials are allowing Phil to continue playing the remaining holes.
The reason I think it is supposed to be disqualification is that whenever you play golf “improperly,” such as hitting a moving ball, you must then return the ball to the position where the ball was last “in play” and commence playing. The infraction for hitting the moving ball is a two stroke penalty. But to continue playing improperly is disqualification.
Television commentators are saying the reason Phil struck the moving ball was to show his frustration with the golf course setup. That very well may be. Regardless, he “lost it”–lost his composure. Former PGA Tour player-commentators, such at Curtis Strange and Paul Azinger were also discussing if it was “conduct unbecoming a professional golfer.” But they surely know that is a rule of the PGA Tour, not the U.S.G.A. The U.S. Open is owned and operated by the U.S.G.A., so that the PGA Tour has nothing to do it.
Phil Mickelson has certainly given us viewers something to talk about, here. John Daly did that at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst years ago. We expect something like that from the Bad Boy of Golf, but not from the ever-composed and lovable Dr. Phil.
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