Sahith Theegala hits a shot on Saturday on the seventh gap at East Lake Golf Membership.
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Sahith Theegala says he was “98, 99 p.c positive” he ran afoul of the principles.
And he was one hundred pc sure what would’ve occurred if he’d stored quiet about it.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be capable of sleep,” Theegala mentioned.
His debrief with reporters Saturday after the Tour Championship’s third spherical capped a wild collection of occasions for the 26-year-old professional, who seemingly earned numerous nods of respect for his honesty, and maybe some grimaces for the {dollars} it might price him. The second in query got here on East Lake Golf Membership’s par-4 third gap, after Theegala dumped his tee shot right into a proper fairway bunker.
There, Theegala mentioned, his ball struck the sand, rolled as much as the bunker’s lip, then again down, earlier than sitting up in its authentic pitch mark. “So it was a really uncommon lie,” he mentioned. “It was teed up within the sand. It was a very nice lie.” From there, from 145 yards away from the opening, Theegala dropped his second shot to 39 toes. However one thing was amiss to him.
He mentioned he’d been attempting to hit a minimize, and his transfer to take action requires him to “sweep it again low” — which is the place he believed he related with some sand, a no-no below Rule 8.1a (4). That rule reads as follows: A participant should not take any of those actions in the event that they enhance the circumstances affecting the stroke: 4. Take away or press down sand or free soil. Astute observers could keep in mind Patrick Reed was dinged on this on the 2019 Hero World Problem, the place, whereas getting ready for a shot from a waste bunker, Reed took his membership again from his ball throughout a number of apply swings and moved sand from instantly behind his ball twice.
Saturday, shortly after the shot, Theegala mentioned he talked together with his enjoying associate, Xander Schauffele.
“I used to be like, hey, dude, I feel I moved some sand whereas I hit that shot,” Theegala mentioned, “and we thought that it was no massive deal as a result of there was no intent, didn’t really feel like — it didn’t truly change the lie in any respect.
“However sadly the rule is it doesn’t matter the intent. When you change the lie within the direct space across the ball that might have an effect on your swing, it’s a two-shot penalty.”
Seemingly, that’s what he heard from the principles official known as whereas the gamers had been on the inexperienced. However Theegala additionally questioned to himself: Did he actually see sand transfer? Was he proper in admitting the penalty? Possibly he’d seen one thing else. Possibly NBC’s broadcast would shed some mild — however he informed reporters that the digital camera angle that was provided “was fairly far behind the ball and it was sort of zoomed out. It was actually powerful to see.”
Ultimately, although, he mentioned he nearly definitely moved sand, and nearly definitely cinched his choice.
Professional, in competition for $25 million prize, calls 2-shot penalty on himself
“On the finish of the day, I’ve performed a lot golf. You sort of simply belief your instinct and intestine, and immediately I believed I moved some sand there,” Theegala mentioned. “I’m within the 90s p.c that I believed I moved some sand. I’d sleep loads higher if I noticed some clear picture of me transferring the sand.
“I actually suppose I did transfer the sand. It’s simply an unlucky rule. However what are you going to do? Take the 2 pictures on the chin and simply roll with it. However yeah, it was simply unlucky. However I did — fairly positive I breached the principles, so I’m paying the value for it, and I be ok with it. Like I mentioned, I’m not one hundred pc positive. However I’d say I’m 98, 99 p.c positive that some sand was moved.
I’ve simply performed a lot golf. You spend a lot time of your life staring down on the lie you’ve gotten, the ball you’ve gotten, and it simply didn’t really feel like a standard fairway bunker shot. It felt like a few of the sand moved. On the finish of the day, I’m good with the ruling, and I feel it’s very reasonable that I used to be assessed two pictures.”
Did Theegala have any concept how a lot sand he might need touched?
Grains, he mentioned.
“If you consider it, for those who hit one thing in your backswing and you are feeling something, you’re going to cease and reset,” Theegala mentioned. “Think about being into — having a downgrain lie and also you simply clip a chunk of grass, like that’s stopping your membership a bit bit. The quantity of sand that was behind this ball, like if I hit a big quantity of, like I might have stopped and I might have thought it wasn’t a penalty and I wouldn’t have gotten penalized. Simply the identical besides my ball remains to be there.
“So it was a little or no quantity of sand. I can say that with full honesty and readability. It was not a really great amount of sand. I don’t suppose it improved the lie in any respect. I shouldn’t say that. A few of the sand moved; possibly it did enhance it. Nevertheless it was on the backswing. … It’s too laborious to inform due to the shadows and my membership. You couldn’t see any sand come up. That’s how little sand we’re speaking about. I feel it actually simply brushed down the hill about that a lot.”
Notably, after the two-stroke penalty was assessed — and following a self-described outburst that featured a thrown water bottle — Theegala rallied. He parred the subsequent gap on a 12-foot putt, then fired a back-nine 30 that included a whopping seven birdies. Sunday, he’ll begin the ultimate spherical in third, 9 again of chief Scottie Scheffler.
Right here, although, it’s possible you’ll begin to do some math. The Tour Championship, the PGA Tour’s season-ending occasion, doles out severe money. First pays $25 million. Second pays $12.5 million. Third will get $7.5 million. Fourth $6 million. Fifth $5 million. Sixth $3.5 million. Dropped pictures are pricey. As are penalty pictures.
Doesn’t matter, Theegala mentioned.
Saturday evening, a reporter requested him if he’d sleep badly if he hadn’t known as the penalty — which drew his response that he’d by no means sleep.
“I used to be describing the scenario — it doesn’t matter what the result was, I wanted to know what the precise rule was,” Theegala mentioned. “Despite the fact that me and Xander thought it’s simply no matter, it’s positive, you touched a grain of sand, didn’t imply to maneuver it, you’re good. I made a decision to name the principles official immediately on that inexperienced. However both approach, I might have requested the principles officers after the spherical, too, or in some way discovered what the rule was, and if I didn’t ask a guidelines official and I went again house and appeared up the rule — it was sitting in my thoughts.
“Once more, instinct, it felt like I moved the sand. It was sitting in my thoughts. If I went again after the spherical, appeared that up and discovered that it was a two-shot penalty, I might be DQ’d proper now. So I’m glad I introduced it up immediately. I do know the principles of golf a bit bit higher now. There may be a whole lot of foolish stuff you are able to do within the bunker. You possibly can chuck a membership within the bunker, you’ll be able to actually stand — you need to use your golf membership as a stand within the bunker. So long as it’s not proper subsequent to your ball.
“There’s a whole lot of issues you are able to do. However sadly if it’s within the space affecting the lie and the swing of your shot, no matter intent, it’s a two-shot penalty.”
