Boo Weekley - A Penalty Gone Too Far?
Did you hear the one about Boo Weekley last week? I’ve said before that professional golfers are literally heads and shoulders above other professional athletes when it comes to character on the golf course. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, Weekly suffered a two-shot penalty while performing a sportsman-like act on the golf course.
Here’s what happened: Weekley’s playing partner Tom Johnson hit his approach shot roughly 85 feet away from the pin, but because of the location of the pin and where his ball was he decided to chip the ball off the green. As the ball rolled closer to the pin, it appeared that it was going to hit the pin, which would be a two-shot penalty against Johnson. Weekley saw what was happening, ran over and grabbed the pin out of the cup before the ball got there. Whew! Saved Johnson two strokes.
Unfortunately, a spectator near the green saw what happened, notified a course official, and when Weekley and Johnson went to the scoring trailer after the round to sign their scorecards, Johnson was asked by an official if he “authorized” Weekley to pull the pin out. Of course, Johnson said no and Weekley was assessed a two-shot penalty, turning his 67 into a 69. What!?
Now, I’m a stickler for golf rules and traditions as much as anyone, but isn’t this particular rule outlived its usefulness? Good grief, Weekley was trying help a fellow competitor out and instead got slapped on the wrist for this act of sportsmanship. I can’t imagine (except on your local muni) when a professional golfer would intentionally removed a pin without attempting to help his playing partner. Or am I missing something in the interpretation?
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3 opinions for Boo Weekley - A Penalty Gone Too Far?
Nolan Matthias
Mar 19, 2007 at 6:50 pm
I think the idea is to not allow two players to work together to better their scores. If Johnson had made the mistake, the rest of the field would gain two strokes on him, but if Boo helped him as he did, the rest of the field unfairly is penalized by what should have been a penalty for Johnson. Thus, the penalty is applied to Boo who essentially was a conspirator in affecting everyone in the fields positioning as a whole. It sucks that the guy who is trying to do a good thing gets penalized, but it is only fair to everyone else playing in the tournament.
Nolan M
Dale Chavez
Mar 20, 2007 at 5:29 am
Makes sense, but yet another rule that’s probably outlived its usefulness though.
Whitney
Mar 29, 2007 at 10:55 am
If I am not mistaken, in addition to Weekley’s penalty, Johnson had to replay the shot even if it went in.
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