Lefty’s debacle

[Diehardblues]

Phil hitting his ball while it was moving on the green was the most blatant rule violation I think I’ve ever seen.

He obviously by his own admittance was abusing the rules for an advantage even if it was unclear whether it would have cost him more than 2 strokes to let it roll off the green.

He was given a two stroke penalty and basically out of the tournament but I think he should have been disqualified even if I get his frustration with how the course was set up.

Phil later said it was a low point for him. The bigger concern is will it encourage other golfers to take a chance abusing the rules and the integrity of the game.

 

[uvaballa]

That was just embarrassing that he’d cheat like that.

 

[atlantacowboy]

That was just embarrassing that he’d cheat like that.

For a great putter like Mickelson to be putting the ball off of greens speaks more to the ineptitude of the USGA than his level of skill or sportsmanship. Saturday's pin placements were absurd given the weather and condition of the course. Most of those greens were burnt to a crisp and playing like a concrete parking lot rather than a golf course. The USGA should thank Phil for taking some of the shameful highlights off of them.

If Mickelson was anywhere near contention, he wouldn't have been after that hole. He turned a par 4 bogey putt into a 10. Thats pretty dam punitive. There is no disqualification for hitting a moving ball which is why he wasn't disqualified.

 

[TheBigEasy]

Honestly, this is no different than some of the plays that the Patriots have run in the past. They found a loophole in the rules and used them to their advantage. Undoubtedly, that ball would have raced off of the green and ended up behind the bunker. Leaving him short sided to an already unfair pin position. He was staring at 3 additional strokes...minimum. Add in that he was double figures over par, out of contention and obviously frustrated with both himself and the course setup. His actions hurt no one but himself and his wallet. And I'm pretty sure that his wallet wasn't complaining as it's already bursting at the seams. I actually found it hilarious to see a professional hacking it up like 95% of the golfers in this world. It would have been even better had he then taken his putter and snapped it over his knee.

 

[uvaballa]

For a great putter like Mickelson to be putting the ball off of greens speaks more to the ineptitude of the USGA than his level of skill or sportsmanship. Saturday's pin placements were absurd given the weather and condition of the course. Most of those greens were burnt to a crisp and playing like a concrete parking lot rather than a golf course. The USGA should thank Phil for taking some of the shameful highlights off of them.

If Mickelson was anywhere near contention, he wouldn't have been after that hole. He turned a par 4 bogey putt into a 10. Thats pretty dam punitive. There is no disqualification for hitting a moving ball which is why he wasn't disqualified.

A guy like Phil can’t blatantly break the rules like that. He only gets a pass because of his name. If a no name golfer did that they’d probably get tossed off the course. It was embarrassing. I hope they don’t even mention that next week at my son’s golf class.

 

[atlantacowboy]

A guy like Phil can’t blatantly break the rules like that. He only gets a pass because of his name. If a no name golfer did that they’d probably get tossed off the course. It was embarrassing. I hope they don’t even mention that next week at my son’s golf class.

He did not get a pass. He got a 2 shot penalty. The USGA determined that what he did not warrant a DQ. In fact, Phil offered to withdraw and they told him no.

Obviously , Phil is embrassed and he has apologized , but anger from folks is laughable. The only anger should be directed at the USGA for ruining saturday.

 

[Nightman]

He did not get a pass. He got a 2 shot penalty. The USGA determined that what he did not warrant a DQ. In fact, Phil offered to withdraw and they told him no.

Obviously , Phil is embrassed and he has apologized , but anger from folks is laughable. The only anger should be directed at the USGA for ruining saturday.

The anger is warranted

That was a full-on meltdown and blatant rules violation.....it is akin to dropping a ball out of a hole in your pocket when searching for a lost ball that you know is Out of Bounds

Golf is a gentleman's game that is largely self-governed and what Phil did was more than embarassing....he should have been DQ'd

 

[jimmy40]

this was so blown out of proportion thanks to the abortion that is Fox Sports trying to televise golf. This was Phil thumbing his nose at the USGA for their ridiculous pin placement on that hole. What was he, 20 shots out at the time? yea, he was really trying to cheat. lol

 

[uvaballa]

He did not get a pass. He got a 2 shot penalty. The USGA determined that what he did not warrant a DQ. In fact, Phil offered to withdraw and they told him no.

Obviously , Phil is embrassed and he has apologized , but anger from folks is laughable. The only anger should be directed at the USGA for ruining saturday.

Ok I see he didn’t get disqualified because he made a forward stroke instead of stopping the ball. They should change the rule so any hit of a moving ball is a DQ.

 

[atlantacowboy]

The anger is warranted

That was a full-on meltdown and blatant rules violation.....it is akin to dropping a ball out of a hole in your pocket when searching for a lost ball that you know is Out of Bounds

Golf is a gentleman's game that is largely self-governed and what Phil did was more than embarassing....he should have been DQ'd

There is no difference between a "rules violation" and a "blatant rules violation". He was assessed the correct penalty for his infraction. Rules are rules.

 

[Diehardblues]

There is no difference between a "rules violation" and a "blatant rules violation". He was assessed the correct penalty for his infraction. Rules are rules.

That’s arguable.

Blatant intent to make a mockery is a more serious attempt on the integrity of the game than accidentally or inadvertently hitting a moving ball.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

There is no difference between a "rules violation" and a "blatant rules violation". He was assessed the correct penalty for his infraction. Rules are rules.

Yes rules are rules and rule 1-2 clearly states that the committee could DQ a player for a "serious breach" of rule 1-2. In case you missed the round, it was serious. The committee wisely chose not to DQ a player who was out of contention and make more of a circus out of it than it already was. It's a shame Phil couldn't show the same level of professionalism that the USGA did.

 

[TheBigEasy]

Yes rules are rules and rule 1-2 clearly states that the committee could DQ a player for a "serious breach" of rule 1-2. In case you missed the round, it was serious. The committee wisely chose not to DQ a player who was out of contention and make more of a circus out of it than it already was. It's a shame Phil couldn't show the same level of professionalism that the USGA did.

I never thought I'd see the day that someone would defend ANYTHING that the USGA has done. They're a disgrace to the sport and should follow in the R&A's footsteps instead of clearing their own path. No disrespect to you at all my man. I'm just not a fan of the USGA. I'm a scratch golfer, played in hundreds of USGA sanctioned events and have witnessed so many f-ups by them.

 

[Diehardblues]

Yes rules are rules and rule 1-2 clearly states that the committee could DQ a player for a "serious breach" of rule 1-2. In case you missed the round, it was serious. The committee wisely chose not to DQ a player who was out of contention and make more of a circus out of it than it already was. It's a shame Phil couldn't show the same level of professionalism that the USGA did.

Right..

I suspect if Phil had been in contention they would have considered disqualifying him.

No doubt the USGA realizing they let the course and more importantly those two holes subject to criticism and being it was Phil were more sympathetic.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I never thought I'd see the day that someone would defend ANYTHING that the USGA has done. They're a disgrace to the sport and should follow in the R&A's footsteps instead of clearing their own path. No disrespect to you at all my man. I'm just not a fan of the USGA. I'm a scratch golfer, played in hundreds of USGA sanctioned events and have witnessed so many f-ups by them.

I was a PGA Class A professional for 15 years so I'm very familiar with the USGA, but I fail to see where I'm defending anything they did. Phil broke the rules, and the USGA ruled on the violation. If you'll read rule 1-2 you'll see that they ruled correctly and yes some of it was at their discretion. People want to talk about the set up of the golf course, but we all heard one player after the other say it was fair with the exception of about two holes 13 and 15. It's the U.S. Open, and will be the toughest week of golf every tour player plays each year. 154 players in the field handled those conditions with class and 1 didn't. I personally loved the set up and it's what I want to see in a U.S. Open.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Yes rules are rules and rule 1-2 clearly states that the committee could DQ a player for a "serious breach" of rule 1-2. In case you missed the round, it was serious. The committee wisely chose not to DQ a player who was out of contention and make more of a circus out of it than it already was. It's a shame Phil couldn't show the same level of professionalism that the USGA did.

So, your argument is with the committee b/c Mickelson offered to withdraw and they said no. The only circus was caused but the USGA's unprofessional set-up of the course during saturday's round. Everyone has made their apologies. Get over it.

 

[atlantacowboy]

That’s arguable.

Blatant intent to make a mockery is a more serious attempt on the integrity of the game than accidentally or inadvertently hitting a moving ball.

Well, since the USGA already made a mockery of the round, they did the right thing.

 

[Diehardblues]

Well, since the USGA already made a mockery of the round, they did the right thing.

I understand but that doesn’t relieve Phil of just criticism.

 

[Nightman]

So, your argument is with the committee b/c Mickelson offered to withdraw and they said no. The only circus was caused but the USGA's unprofessional set-up of the course during saturday's round. Everyone has made their apologies. Get over it.

The course dried out Saturday with the winds..... it happens

Whatever the set up, Koepka won and Fleetwood finished second......just like last year at an "easy" Open..... everyone plays the same course

Some guys are just better and some are just bitter they never won the Open..... and I love Phil

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Ok I see he didn’t get disqualified because he made a forward stroke instead of stopping the ball. They should change the rule so any hit of a moving ball is a DQ.

What they should change are the idiots who decided to set up the Golf Course the way they did. I don't know, I'm not a big "Watch Golf" person but I do understand that some people do like to. That said, who enjoys watching what everybody saw this past week? I understand challenge but that was just bad TV. If I were Fox, I'd be pissed. People don't tune it to watch the greatest players in the world look like amateurs. Nobody shot under par for the entire tourney, I don't believe.

Phil should not have done what he did but it's really not the biggest problem IMO. This is not the first time the USDA has done this, and recently. They need to stop screwing around and make the course playable so that the greatest golfers in the world can do what they do, which is entertain us.

JMO