Golf In New York City Blog

Congratulations to 26 year old, Camilo Villegas, from Medellin for winning the BMW Championship last Sunday. He finished at finished at 15-under 265 and collected $1.26 million. A lot was made of his four putt for double bogey during the second round but I felt how he dropped his ball on the tough 17th hole, the 601 yard par five, far more interesting. Camilo clearly knows and understands the rules of golf. But did he bend rules 26-1C (Lateral Water Hazard) and 20-2C (Dropping) to gain an advantage?
Villegas hit his first shot into the lateral water hazard that ran up the right side of the hole. He elected to invoke rule 26.1 (Listed below). His ball clearly was in the hazard. The Rules of Golf allow a player to drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard. This cost the player one stroke. Villegas dropped his ball within an inch of the red line painted on the ground to define the Lateral Water Hazard. The ball bounced into the hazard. According to his rights under the rules, Villegas picked up his ball and re-dropped within an inch of the hazard line. Again the ball bounced into the hazard allowing Villegas to place the ball where it landed outside of the hazard.
Villegas clearly acted within the rules and did not violate rule 26-1 or 20-2C. But did he act by the Spirit of the Rules and our game? Rule 26-1C allows a player to drop as far as two club lengths from the Margin of the Hazard. If Camilo had dropped even ten inches from the hazard line the ball would have been in play and a re-drop would not have been necessary. Of course, he would not of have had the advantage of placing the ball on top of the rough with his hand.
I have never before seen a player drop like this. Is this how it is normally done on the PGA Tour?
Villegas was able to hit a rescue club to within 150 yards of the hole and then he hit a good approach onto the green and one putted to save his par.
Was the way he manipulated the Rules of Golf: Smart, Standard Operating Procedure on the PGA Tour, or Cheating? Is it bending the Rules or OK?
I do not know. Anyway I am glad he won and still enjoy watching his “Spider-Man” style of reading putts on the green.

United States Golf Association Rules:
20-1. Lifting and Marking
A ball to be lifted under the Rules may be lifted by the player, his partner or another person authorized by the player. In any such case, the player is responsible for any breach of the Rules. The position of the ball must be marked before it is lifted under a Rule that requires it to be replaced. If it is not marked, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke and the ball must be replaced. If it is not replaced, the player incurs the general penalty for breach of this Rule, but there is no additional penalty under Rule 20-1. If a ball or ball-marker is accidentally moved in the process of
lifting the ball under a Rule or marking its position, the ball or ball-marker must be replaced. There is no penalty, provided the movement of the ball or ball-marker is directly attributable to the specific act of marking the position of or lifting the ball. Otherwise, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke under this Rule or Rule 18-2a.
Exception: If a player incurs a penalty for failing to act in accordance with Rule 5-3 or 12-2, there is no additional penalty under Rule 20-1.
Note: The position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball-marker, a small coin or other similar object
immediately behind the ball. If the ball-marker interferes with the play, stance or stroke of another player, it should be placed one or more clubhead-lengths to one side.

20-2. Dropping and Re-Dropping
A. By Whom and How
A ball to be dropped under the Rules must be dropped by the player himself. He must stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length and drop it. If a ball is dropped by any other person or in any other manner and the error is not corrected as provided in Rule 20-6, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the ball when dropped touches any person or the equipment of any player before or after it strikes a part of the course and before it comes to rest, the ball must be re-dropped, without penalty. There is no limit to the number of times a ball must be re-dropped in these circumstances. (Taking action to influence position or movement of ball — see Rule 1-2.)
B. Where to Drop
When a ball is to be dropped as near as possible to a specific spot, it must be dropped not nearer the hole than the specific spot which, if it is not precisely known to the player, must be estimated. A ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course where the applicable Rule requires it to be dropped. If it is not so dropped, Rules 20-6 and 20-7 apply.
C. When to Re-Drop
A dropped ball must be re-dropped, without penalty, if it:
(i) rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard; (ii) rolls out of and comes to rest outside a hazard; (iii) rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting green; (iv) rolls and comes to rest out of bounds; (v) rolls to and comes to rest in a position where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken under Rule 24-2b (immovable obstruction), Rule 25-1 (abnormal ground conditions), Rule 25-3 (wrong putting green) or a Local Rule (Rule 33-8a), or rolls back
into the pitch-mark from which it was lifted under Rule 25-2 (embedded ball); (vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course; or (vii) rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than:
(a) its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b) unless otherwise permitted by the Rules; or (b) the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or (c) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1). If the ball when re-dropped rolls into any position listed above, it must be placed as near as possible to the spot where it first struck a part of the course when re-dropped.
Note 1: If a ball when dropped or re-dropped comes to rest and subsequently moves, the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply.
Note 2: If a ball to be re-dropped or placed under this Rule is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted. (Use of Dropping Zone — see Appendix I; Part B; Section 8.)

26-1. Relief for Ball in Water Hazard
It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward a water hazard is in the hazard. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1. If a ball is in a water hazard or if it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:
A. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or
B. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or
C. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole. When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.