Gravity moved your ball at rest? Under 2023 rules change, do this

The governing our bodies are usually detest to confess {that a} single unlucky incident triggered a rules change. But when you think about one of many important rules modifications for 2023, common PGA Tour watchers would possibly properly suppose again to a spot of hassle by which Rickie Fowler discovered himself at the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open.

In the ultimate spherical, Fowler was main by 5 on the par-4 eleventh gap when he knocked his third shot right into a greenside lake.

Our Josh Berhow recounted what occurred from there: “Preparing to play his fifth shot, Fowler dropped his ball, but due to the slope and rainy conditions it didn’t stay on the bank. He was then allowed to place it, which he did, before walking up the bank toward the green and assessing his next shot. As Fowler was on the green his ball rolled back into the water on its own, but since it was in play and had previously come to rest, he was still assessed a penalty stroke.”

Fowler went on to make a triple-bogey 7.

Raw deal, proper? The USGA and R&A appeared to suppose so.

Under the latest spherical of tweaks to the Rules of Golf, which will likely be applied Jan. 1, if a ball at relaxation is moved by pure forces after being dropped, positioned or changed and involves relaxation in a special space of the course or out of bounds, the ball have to be changed and performed from its unique spot — with no penalty. A ball on the placing inexperienced should nonetheless get replaced if moved after being changed.

Sensible? Sensible.

Oh, and don’t really feel too badly for Fowler. He nonetheless held on that Sunday to win by two.

Alan Bastable

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s government editor, Bastable is answerable for the editorial path and voice of one of many recreation’s most revered and extremely trafficked information and repair websites. He wears many hats — enhancing, writing, ideating, creating, daydreaming of at some point breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with such an insanely proficient and hardworking group of writers, editors and producers. Before grabbing the reins at GOLF.com, he was the options editor at GOLF Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Columbia School of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey along with his spouse and foursome of youngsters.