Aug 31, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Sahith Theegala acknowledges the gallery after his putt on the 18th inexperienced throughout the third spherical of the TOUR Championship golf match. Necessary Credit score: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports activities ATLANTA — Sahith Theegala is 98 or 99 % positive he moved some sand whereas taking a swing out of a bunker at East Lake Golf Membership.
Not sure of the exact rule in query, Theegala let taking part in companion Xander Schauffele and PGA Tour guidelines officers know. He ended up accepting a two-stroke penalty for the infraction on the third gap, which may have derailed his weekend on the Tour Championship and value him a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} — not hyperbole.
But when Theegala needs to overlook the miscue at No. 3, he authored a again 9 that was much more memorable. The 26-year-old ran off birdies on seven of his closing eight holes, together with Nos. 14 via 18, vaulting him to 3rd place at 17 underneath after three rounds Saturday on the tour’s season finale.
“Just a few momentum putts that sort of stored the birdies going,” Theegala stated. “Yeah, it simply felt like numerous my sport is actually feeling good proper now.”
His 5-under 66 may have been a 7-under 64 if not for the penalty.
Theegala, a teenager on tour taking part in in his second Tour Championship, hit his drive on the par-4 third right into a bunker. He described having an unusually good lie, together with his ball sitting up within the sand, and as he started his backswing, he was fairly positive he noticed some grains of sand fly with the clubhead.
The well-known edict within the guidelines of golf is that gamers can’t floor their membership within the sand when addressing their ball. Theegala did not know if that additionally utilized to the backswing. Guidelines officers knowledgeable him it will be a two-stroke penalty, turning his par at No. 3 right into a double bogey.
“Sadly the rule is it would not matter the intent,” Theegala defined after his spherical. “If you happen to change the lie within the direct space across the ball that would have an effect on your swing, it’s a two-shot penalty.
“It was simply unlucky. However I did — fairly positive I breached the foundations, so I am paying the worth for it, and I be ok with it.”
Theegala had the chance to evaluate the video with guidelines officers earlier than signing his card. There was no conclusive video proof to overturn the penalty.
Theegala stated he would have slept higher if he had seen his suspicion confirmed on digital camera. But when he hadn’t known as the penalty on himself?
“Oh, I would not be capable of sleep,” he stated. “It doesn’t matter what the end result was, I wanted to know what the precise rule was.
“I made a decision to name the foundations official straight away on that inexperienced. However both means, I’d have requested the foundations officers after the spherical, too, or someway discovered what the rule was, and if I did not ask a guidelines official and I went again residence and regarded up the rule — it was sitting in my thoughts.”
It was robust for Theegala to maneuver on straight away. He stated he chucked his water bottle after taking part in the outlet.
“I put on my feelings on my sleeve. Robust to not get upset about that,” Theegala stated. “I made an enormous par on 4. Thought that saved my spherical.
“Yeah, I am simply actually completely happy I made that putt as a result of if I did not make that putt, I’d have been actually scorching strolling to gap 5. Yeah, simply gave a bit bit extra gasoline to the fireplace, I suppose. Simply tried to make use of that positively. My caddie, Carl (Smith), stored telling me that I have been taking part in superior. ‘Simply maintain doing all your factor. Two photographs is so much, however on the finish of the day you’ve got received much more golf to play.'”
It took till the par-3 eleventh gap for that fireside to show into some constructive scores; Theegala landed his tee shot 6 ft away from the pin and made birdie. A ten-footer on the par-5 14th kicked off his closing surge, which included an method to inside 3 ft on No. 17 and an awesome pitch on No. 18 that left him a tap-in.
Theegala may have been disqualified from the occasion if the penalty went ignored and it was found later. Nonetheless, the choice took braveness. A $100 million purse is on provide on the playoff finale; the distinction between third and fourth, for instance, is $1.5 million.
Theegala would have entered Sunday in third place even when the penalty was overturned. Along with his closing birdie, he handed Schauffele, leaving him alone in fourth at 16 underneath. Theegala is 9 behind chief Scottie Scheffler, however second place remains to be in play.
“I’ve simply performed a lot golf,” Theegala stated. “You spend a lot time of your life staring down on the lie you’ve got, the ball you’ve got, and it simply didn’t really feel like a traditional fairway bunker shot. It felt like a number of the sand moved. On the finish of the day I am good with the ruling, and I believe it is particularly reasonable that I used to be assessed two photographs.”
–Adam Zielonka, Subject Stage Media
