Question:
The Dimension Data Pro-Am at Sun City in South Africa which pits 160 pro’s and amateurs over two par 72 courses, the Lost City and Gary Player Country Club Course was won by Zimbabwean Mark McNulty. England’s former Walker Cup star Ricky Willison battled through driving rain for a 68, best round of the day to set the clubhouse target of two under-par. McNulty kept his composure and the decisive move came at the fifteenth when he chipped in from the rough for a birdie, he finished on 282 and a four stroke victory. Ricky Willison finished tied for second place with Nick Price and Brenden Pappas on 286. South African Brenden Pappas had a good weekend, during the third round he equalled the course record 64 including a hole in one at the short seventh and only nine putts on the back nine for just 28 shots. Irishman Philip Walton was disqualified from the event for playing a shot from the wrong place during the second round. Walton played his partners ball from the fourth fairway, realising his mistake proceeded to play another ball under a two stroke penalty and later signed for a 69. But officials ruled he had not played the second ball from the right place, and disqualified him for an incorrect score card. New Zealander Frank Nobilo had to withdraw after the third round with food poisoning, Ian Woosnam finished on 291 but David Feherty, Costantino Rocca and Alexander Cejka had no excuses, not even the bad weather, all finished well down the field. Nick Faldo at the Buick Invitational in San Diego, hit 88% of the greens in regulation all week but couldn’t buy a putt until the final round when he shot a 64 to equalled the course record. Faldo finished fifteen under-par, four shots off the winner Davis Love the turd. Jesper Bo Parnevik from West Palm Beach via Stockholm, faltered again during the final round after a good first three days, finishing on thirteen under-par. Laura Davis became the first woman to compete in the At&T Australian Skins tournament at the Sanctuary Cove in Queensland. Laura lined up with Americans John Daly and Tom Watson and Australian Peter Senior. Davis who has won 25 tournaments in two years, more than held her own with the men, playing off the championship tees consistently outhitting Watson and Senior. John Daly won five holes outright taking his earnings to $78,000 but Laura Davis halted his run by wining $6,000 at the par-five eleventh hole for a $9,760 total. Watson won two skins on Saturday finishing on $21,000 and Senior on $3,750. Frenchman Jean-Louis Guepy was pipped by Greg Norman in the Ford Open Championship in Adelaide Queensland. Norman who was 41 on Saturday shot a final round 69, for a four under-par total of 284. Once again his appearance money of #150,000 has been given media attention. The PGA European Tour stays in South Africa this week for the Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship at the Houghton Golf Club near Johannesburg. For more European Golf check out www.golfnet.co.uk / golfnet Dougie– 02/11 West Links, North Berwick East Lothian, Scotland UK
Response:
The Dimension Data Pro-Am at Sun City in South Africa Irishman Philip Walton was disqualified from the event for playing a shot from the wrong place during the second round. Walton played his partners ball from the fourth fairway, realising his mistake proceeded to play another ball under a two stroke penalty and later signed for a 69. But officials ruled he had not played the second ball from the right place, and disqualified him for an incorrect score card. For more European Golf check out www.golfnet.co.uk / golfnet Dougie– 02/11
Does anyone know any details on what exactly happened? It’s so unusual for a professional not to make sure where exactly he has to drop after playing a wrong ball. Just curious, thanks Aleid Kemper
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The Dimension Data Pro-Am at Sun City in South Africa Irishman Philip Walton was disqualified from the event for playing a shot from the wrong place during the second round. Walton played his partners ball from the fourth fairway, realising his mistake proceeded to play another ball under a two stroke penalty and later signed for a 69. But officials ruled he had not played the second ball from the right place, and disqualified him for an incorrect score card. For more European Golf check out www.golfnet.co.uk / golfnet Dougie– 02/11 Does anyone know any details on what exactly happened? It’s so unusual for a professional not to make sure where exactly he has to drop after playing a wrong ball. Just curious, thanks Aleid Kemper
Here is my own follow up, although it does not make the case any easier or more understandable. Golf Weekly (UK) had the following article on the incident: ‘Ireland’s Philip Walton was one of five players disqualified. The incident took place on the 4th hole at Lost City on Friday. Having hit his second to the par 5, the two amateurs in his group were convinced it had gone in a bunker beside the hidden green. When Walton played that ball out it was found to be one of the amateurs. Though the Ryder Cup hero thought he had found the green, a rules official decided the weight of evidence favoured the two amateurs. Walton then had to take a two-stroke penalty and play a second ball. But instead of playing from the left rough, where the amateur played from, Walton returned to the fairway from where he had hit his earlier shot. His caddie only realised this was a further mistake while at dinner that evening and Walton, optimistic for the weekend after hitting five birdies in his second round of his first outing of the year, owned up on Saturday morning. As his 69 did not include a second two-shot penalty, he was DQed for signing for a wrong score.’ My comments: Hitting a wrong ball out of a bunker is ok. No penalty, just go about with your own ball. On discovery it was a wrong ball(it was the ball of one of his amateurs) he assumed that he had hit that particular ball from the fairway with his second shot and had thus hit a wrong ball: 2-stroke penalty, go back and correct your mistake by playing the correct ball (15-3). This is what he did. Correct imo. The fact that his ball was lost does not play a part imo. Then the confusion starts. The amateur, instead of playing out of the bunker, hits from the left rough. Why would he do that? And why should Walton have done the same? This is what bothers me, and I also am confused about the wording ‘and play a second ball’. A second ball you only play when you are in doubt as to procedure. And then the third mystifying statement: ‘His caddie only realised this was a FURTHER mistake while at dinner.’ What was being discussed at dinner? And why did the referee, who was present and ‘favoured the two amateurs’ in their belief that Walton had hit into the bunker, not stay with Walton and warn him if he thought W. was going to make a mistake which would cost him? That is also one of the duties of a referee. Any comments? Aleid
Response:
I just found another quote on the incident on Golfweb: Though Walton insisted he hit his second shot onto the green, his two amateur partners were convinced it had gone into a greenside bunker. After Walton played that ball onto the green it was discovered to be that of one of the amateurs. The deduction was that they had hit the wrong balls earlier in the hole. But while Walton went back and played again from the fairway, where he had originally played his second, he should have played from the left rough.
This implies imo that Walton’s ball was found in that left rough. So no lost ball, but wrong ball. Why did the amateur play from the left rough when it was Walton’s ball? And what happened to the ball in the bunker? Who finally hit that one out after having replaced it? But if they indeed thought to have swapped balls earlier on, you would think that not to be on the tee (which is allowed, dec. 15-1/1), but in the fairway, in which case Walton was right to go back. Interesting to know where the teeshot of the involved amateur landed. Nearby Walton’s ball? Then it sure was a good amateur. Or maybe he had already hit his second? Still puzzled and getting obsessed with it, Aleid