The USGA announced major changes to the Rules of Golf which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
It didn’t take long for the new rules to create headlines.
Thirty-seven major clarifications are divided into eight different categories— ball at rest, ball in motion, taking relief, areas of the course, equipment, playing a ball, when to play during a round (including pace of play) and player behavior.
The specifics involving the new rules and their revised language compared to the previous rule can be read on the USGA’s website.
Over the year, we tracked the most surprising and controversial rules violations in all competitive levels of golf. Here are a few of the most memorable rules violations from 2019.
Be sure to vote for the most bizarre rules violation of the year at the end of the story.
Haotong Li, caddie alignment
Jan. 21: The first to violate the new caddie alignment rule under the new Rules of Golf was China’s Haotong Li during the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Li, who earned a two-stroke penalty on the 18th green, was informed of the violation after leaving the 18th hole. The violation turned his birdie on 18 into a bogey, his final-round 71 became a 73 and he dropped to T-12. The ruling also cost Li nearly $98,000 in prize money.
Sergio Garcia, player behavior
Feb. 2: During the Saudi International in February, Sergio Garcia was disqualified for willfully damaging putting greens. Garcia damaged putting surfaces during Saturday’s third round and was tossed out of the tournament when players behind him complained about damage on the greens. The Spaniard was ruled to have violated Rule 1.2a, which gives the event the right to “disqualify players for a serious breach of etiquette.” Garcia allegedly complained about the greens earlier in the week. The day before his disqualification, Garcia had a meltdown in a bunker where he angrily and repeatedly thrashed the sand.
Rickie Fowler, ball placement
Feb. 3: Rickie Fowler violated Rule 9.4b during the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. The rule states, “If the player lifts or deliberately touches his or her ball at rest or causes it to move, the player gets one penalty stroke.” This rules violation didn’t set Fowler back too much, as the then 30-year-old went on to win the event.
Rickie Fowler, knee-drop violation
Feb. 22: Rickie Fowler received a one-shot penalty during the second round of the WGC-Mexico Championship in February for an illegal shoulder-height drop. Fowler ended up with a triple-bogey seven on the 10th hole, but recorded birdies on the next two holes to finish with a second-round 73.
Alex Cejka, greens-reading materials violation
Feb. 28: During the Honda Classic in February, Alex Cejka was disqualified during the first round when he used greens-reading materials that did not fit the new scale allowed. Cejka finished the 14th hole and was on his way to the 15th when he was approached by rules official Robby Ware who notified him of the violation.
Adam Schenk, caddie alignment
March 1: Adam Schenk was assessed a two-stroke penalty for violating violating Rule 10.2b(4) during the third round of Honda Classic. Schenk was found to have violated the rule when his caddie stood behind him once he was in his stance on the 17th hole. The penalty changed the bogey on the par-3 17th to a triple-bogey.
Harold Varner III, club assembly penalty
March 13: Harold Varner III was assessed a two-stroke penalty for violating Rule 4.1b during the Players Championship. Varner used a club that was assembled on the course after his round had already begun, changing his first-round 72 into a 74.
Webb Simpson, ball placement
March 18: During the final round of The Players Championship, Webb Simpson was assessed a one-stroke penalty on the 14th hole for inadvertently moving his ball, violating Rule 9.4b. The rule states, “if the player lifts or deliberately touches his or her ball at rest or causes it to move, the player gets one penalty stroke.” Simpson blamed the penalty on his shirt and putter.
During the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open, Andrea Lee was hit with a slow-play penalty. She was first given a slow-play warning, but when she did not quicken her pace of play, the USGA slapped a one-stroke penalty on Lee’s round. Lee finished with a third-round 79. The decision was criticized because other groups competing, which did not include an amateur, played equally lengthy six-hour rounds.
Bio Kim, etiquette violation
Oct. 1: Bio Kim was banned from Korean Tour for three years after directing an obscene gesture toward a fan during the final round of the Korean Tour’s DGB Financial Group Volvik Daegu Gyeongbuk Open. Kim apologized for the gesture, but did not appeal the decision. The suspension was ultimately reduced to a one-year suspension and 120 hours of community service.
Lee Ann Walker, caddie alignment
Oct. 16: A mistake by Lee Ann Walker took the caddie alignment violation to a completely different level. During the 2019 Senior LPGA Championship in October, Walker received 58 penalty strokes due to violating Rule 10.2b. Walker finished the event with rounds of 127-90 in her Senior LPGA Championship debut at French Lick Resort.
Kendall Dye, caddie advice
Oct. 31: Perhaps the biggest LPGA rules controversy of the year occurred during Round 6 of the LPGA Q-Series. Christina Kim reported Kendall Dye sought advice from another player’s caddie when Dye motioned toward Dewi Weber’s caddie Jacqueline Schram on the 17th hole at Pinehurst No. 9 to ask if Weber was using an 8-iron. Schram signaled back to confirm that it was, indeed, an 8-iron. Kim reported the rules violating the rule and the LPGA confirmed the rule was broken. Kim tweeted an explanation for why she reported Dye while Dye took to Twitter herself, stating the incident was “unprofessional” but took “100% responsibility for the infraction.”
Emilia Migliaccio and Kaitlyn Papp, incorrect scorecard
Nov. 7: After the first round of the Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship at Whispering Pines Golf Club, Emilia Migliaccio and Kaitlyn Papp unknowingly signed an incorrect scorecard, violating Rule 23.2b of the Rules of Golf. The rule, which applies to four-ball stroke play, states the score for the hole must be identified as the score of the correct player. The two golfers were disqualified after realizing they signed for a 2 for Migliaccio when it was actually Papp who recorded birdie on the par-3 third hole.
Nov. 9: Eddie Pepperell was disqualified from the Turkish Airlines Open during the third round when he ran out of golf balls in dramatic fashion. Pepperell was forced to leave the course when the contents of his ball pocket fell into a pond beside the fourth green. Playing partner Martin Kaymer said he’d never seen anything like it in competition.
Russell Henley, one-ball rule
Nov. 17: After finishing the second round at the Mayakoba Golf Classic, Russell Henley realized he violated the PGA Tour’s one-ball rule. The rule states players can only use one specific brand and model of ball during a round and the penalty for using a different model is two strokes per hole that the ball is used. Henley received eight penalty strokes–two per hole for Nos. 9-12–turning what had been a 69 into signing for a 77.
Patrick Reed, improving conditions of stroke
Dec. 6: During the third round of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Patrick Reed was found to have improved his lie when his two practice swings taken in a waste bunker on the 11th hole shoveled sand away from his ball. Reed was assessed a two-stroke penalty for violating Rule 8-1a, which prohibits actions like the removal or pressing down of sand or loose soil to improve a lie.
