Rules is rules…
Drama at the USPGA golf last night when the big-hitting Dustin Johnson thought he was in a three way playoff, having just missed a putt at the 18th for the outright win.
Unfortunately, eagle-eyed officials had noticed he’d grounded his club on the 18th while playing out of a “bunker” that was actually more like a bit of trampled sandy ground. For all non-golfers, if you ground your club in a bunker it’s a two shot penalty, even if it’s an accident.
The net result was that Johnson was penalised two shots and lost the change of his first major win. My first reaction was that this was a ridiculous example of applying the letter and not the spirit of the rules, and is the sort of thing that can put some people off the game of golf. But on further reflection, it’s this absolute application of the rules to ensure fairness that makes golf such a great sport and sets it apart from virtually all others. Johnson took it in good grace even though he must have felt like punching a hole in the nearest wall, and his time will come.
At the same tournament, Rory McIlroy came within a whisker of making the play off and I’m certain he would have won it. He’s got huge talent and seems to have the temperament for the big occasion too. Good call from our client EA SPORTS to put him on the front cover of their game alongside some chap called Woods!
Eddie.
