There have been a lot of headlines this season about rules violations and players complaining about them — especially on the women’s tour.
But this weekend in Mayakoba, Russell Henley upheld the greatest tradition in golf when he turned himself in for a rules violation that only he would have noticed.
It was especially meaningful because Henley had just recorded rounds of 68-69 — he was seven-under par through 36-holes and in position to either contend or earn himself a really nice payday at the rain-plagued tour event — the Mayakoba Classic.
After his second round was complete, Henley was signing golf balls for fans when he realized one of the balls was a slightly different model than the Titleist Pro V1x he uses. Henley said he was unsure how the ball got in his bag but that he used it on holes nine through twelve of his round — four holes total.
Henley went to tour officials and made them aware of the situation. As a result, Henley was penalized two shots for each hole he played with the different model ball, he was in violation of the one-ball rule (Rule 20-3, which covers all rules not laid out in the Rules of Golf).
That added eight shots to his round, giving him a 77 and he went from seven-under par for 36 holes to one-over and missed the cut.
“It was a small dash, a different way it was marked that would have been easy to overlook,” PGA Tour rules official Brad Fabel said, adding that it took eight officials an hour and a half to determine a ruling and appropriate penalty. “He came to us and said he didn’t know how it had gotten in his bag.”
Fabel added that Henley “was great. I’ve got a ton of respect for that gentleman.”
So should everyone else.
In this case, no one would have known.
Except Henley.
2 Comments
baxter cepeda
Another example of rules makers and rules officials having so so far to go to be considered more than just golf chrone dogs.
Taking nothing away from Henley, also mad respect from me, but 8 strokes because mistakingly his ball had a missing made-for-marketing X? And not even knowing how to rule it, that is the bigger story.
I play those balls everyday and literally would not be able to identify them and doubt most top players could.
I’m just saying, eliminate this rule.
And let’s train officials much better. And let’s hold them more accountable for their pace if not the players.
Tom Edrington
Yes, this one was quite the shocker, I’m pretty much in line with you on this one Baxter. This rule was created back when Pinnacles first came out and guys would pull one out if they played a hole into a strong headwind. The advance or perhaps over-advance in golf balls has made so many of them pretty equal….